DEACON Synonyms: 58 Similar and Opposite Words

deacon

noun

ˈdē-kən

Definition of deacon

as in priest

a person specially trained and authorized to conduct religious services in a Christian church my cousin was married by his uncle, who is also a deacon in his church

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of deacon Among them were the house of Tisous, identified as a church deacon and dating to the second half of the fourth century, which archaeologists believe served as a house church before the construction of the city’s basilica. — ABC News, 4 July 2026 Eddie, a mechanic, was also a deacon at the church, an usher and a member of the choir, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. — Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026 Her parents, Baptist deacons who ultimately left the church over its refusal to ordain women, raised their children to wrestle with such questions. — Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 30 June 2026 When there’s a big medical bill, the deacon, or maybe some sort of committee, a small committee within the church, try to pull some funds together to pay for it. — Torie Bosch, STAT, 6 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for deacon

Recent Examples of Synonyms for deacon

Noun

In 1972, William Christopher joined the cast of M*A*S*H as Father John Mulcahy, the Catholic priest who serves as the Army chaplain.

— Rachel Flynn, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
For the traditional Telugu Hindu ceremony, their priest translated Sanskrit to English in real time, and the mandap was designed as a circle to represent how life flows into itself for eternity.

— Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of priest

Noun

In the movie, a local brothel — the Devil’s Playhouse — becomes the target of a TV preacher, forcing the town’s sheriff, who happens to be a frequent customer, to save it.

— Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Aug. 2026
The son of a former preacher, the South Carolina native grew up around music.

— Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of preacher

Noun

Man of books and learning Several of the videos show Athanasius of Alexandria, a fourth-century bishop and theologian traditionally considered one of the church fathers.

— Denva Gallant, The Conversation, 8 July 2026
Juan José Gerardi Conedera (born December 27, 1922, Guatemala City, Guatemala—killed April 26, 1998, Guatemala City) was a Guatemalan Roman Catholic bishop and human rights activist.

— Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 July 2026

Definition of bishop

Noun

Such details include McCartney’s bare feet and opposite stride and the other members’ attire (Lennon’s white supposedly represents a clergyman, Starr’s black a mourner, and Harrison’s denim a gravedigger).

— Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 July 2026
Robin, our hero, is the son of a country clergyman.

— John Swansburg, The Atlantic, 15 June 2026

Definition of clergyman

Browse Nearby Words

dazzlingly

deacon

deaconess

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“Deacon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deacon. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of deacon

noun

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