deacon

noun

ˈdē-kən How to pronounce deacon (audio)
Definition of deaconnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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 The research in the Diocese of Saginaw reviewed allegations against 37 priests and one deacon, 30 of whom are known or presumed to be dead. — Paula Wethington, CBS News, 25 June 2026 Titian painted Saint Lawrence—a third-century church deacon who was slow-roasted for defying Roman authorities—bound to a palette over a sizzling fire, while a man thrusts a long, forked skewer into his torso. — Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 16 May 2026 Just as her characters tussle with the frailties installed during their upbringings, Strout, the daughter of a schoolteacher mother and parasitologist father who was also a congregationalist deacon, has reckoned with her roots. — Belinda Luscombe, Time, 28 Apr. 2026 For his part, Marshall, who has served as an elder and a deacon in his own church, previously championed removing a federal prohibition on churches and other religious organizations directly engaging in political campaigns. — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for deacon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deacon
  1. priest
  2. preacher
  3. bishop
  4. clergyman
  5. pastor
Noun
  • In places such as Taiwan, Daoist priests can be seen today conducting rituals at community temples and annual festivals.
    — Michael Naparstek, The Conversation, 6 July 2026
  • At the moment the priest elevated the host during the consecration — the most sacred moment of the Catholic Mass, when Catholics believe bread becomes the body of Christ — thunder cracked loudly overhead.
    — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 6 July 2026
Definition of priest
Noun
  • The dynamic duo of Jonda Valentine, an artist and daughter of a Pentecostal preacher, and her longtime friend Christa Suppan, who started as a bartender when Lipstick first opened, share co-ownership of the two bars.
    — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 July 2026
  • The street preacher asks if someone could be cited if a transgender person is offended if they are misgendered by another person.
    — Emily Holshouser July 2, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 July 2026
Definition of preacher
Noun
  • The ritual confers the Holy Spirit from one bishop to another and recalls Christ’s gesture to his apostles.
    — Jamey Keaten, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • Under the church’s in-house canon law, consecrating a bishop without papal consent incurs an automatic excommunication for both the people administering the consecration and the bishops receiving it.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 July 2026
Definition of bishop
Noun
  • Robin, our hero, is the son of a country clergyman.
    — John Swansburg, The Atlantic, 15 June 2026
  • The trio of vicars starts with James Norton as Sidney Chambers, the doe-eyed clergyman with a taste for cool jazz and clever women.
    — Pat Saperstein, Variety, 14 June 2026
Definition of clergyman
Noun
  • Hong Kong — A pastor who founded one of China’s most prominent underground churches has been released from prison and reunited with his family in the United States, his daughter told CNN.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
  • Michelle Obama is a shining example of this inspirational leadership, the kind also demonstrated by my mother and aunties, my sister and sister- friends, by my pastor and elders, and by my colleagues in the maternal and infant health space.
    — Jallicia Jolly, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of pastor

Browse Nearby Words

dazzlingly
deacon
deaconess
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Cite this Entry

“Deacon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deacon. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on deacon

Nglish: Translation of deacon for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about deacon

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