synagogue

noun

syn·​a·​gogue ˈsi-nə-ˌgäg How to pronounce synagogue (audio)
variants or less commonly synagog
Synonyms of synagoguenext
1
: a Jewish congregation
2
: the house of worship and communal center of a Jewish congregation
synagogal
ˌsi-nə-ˈgä-gəl How to pronounce synagogue (audio)
adjective

Examples of synagogue in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
On the inside, work to rebuild the synagogue just began this week. — Chierstin Roth, CBS News, 18 June 2026 The talk was organized by local synagogues and the Chattanooga Jewish Federation in response to the banning of the novel by a nearby Tennessee school district a month prior. — Spin Team, SPIN, 22 June 2026 In December, 2024, a synagogue in Melbourne was destroyed in an arson attack; seven months later, another was set alight during Shabbat. — Oscar Schwartz, New Yorker, 29 June 2026 Another community event, the Dreidel Dash, is a 5K begun by the local synagogue that lets Jewish residents take pride in their traditions while offering others a chance to learn. — Catherine Simpson Bueker, The Conversation, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for synagogue

Word History

Etymology

Middle English synagoge, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin synagoga, from Greek synagōgē assembly, synagogue, from synagein to bring together, from syn- + agein to lead — more at agent

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of synagogue was in the 12th century

Rhymes for synagogue

See All Rhymes for synagogue

Browse Nearby Words

synagogal
synagogue
synaloepha
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Synagogue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/synagogue. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

synagogue

noun
syn·​a·​gogue
variants also synagog
ˈsin-ə-ˌgäg How to pronounce synagogue (audio)
1
: a Jewish congregation
2
: the house of worship of a Jewish congregation
Etymology

Middle English synagoge "a Jewish congregation," from early French synagoge (same meaning), from Latin synagoga (same meaning), from Greek synagōgē "synagogue, assembly," from synagein "to bring together," from syn- "together with" and agein "to lead" — related to synonymous

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