as in church
the people of a religion who are not priests, ministers, etc.
a member of the laity The laity has played an important role in the history of the church.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of laity
Francis, born as Jorge Mario Bergoglio and who died April 21 at age 88, leaves a legacy in which an institution that operates under a strict hierarchy made room for women and laity to voice concerns and for bishops to rigorously debate how to best implement church teaching.
—
Liam Adams, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025
Debate over Communion for Divorced Catholics That document opened discussions about Communion for divorced and civilly remarried Catholics, spurring debate among clergy and laity.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Apr. 2025
This shift helped to support a general festive culture, as laity found creative ways to fund their local churches.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 27 Mar. 2025
Generosity and Buddhist laity Without donations, Buddhist temples and monastic institutions could not exist.
—Brooke Schedneck, The Conversation, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for laity
Liam Adams, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025
Debate over Communion for Divorced Catholics That document opened discussions about Communion for divorced and civilly remarried Catholics, spurring debate among clergy and laity.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Apr. 2025
This shift helped to support a general festive culture, as laity found creative ways to fund their local churches.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 27 Mar. 2025
Generosity and Buddhist laity Without donations, Buddhist temples and monastic institutions could not exist.
—Brooke Schedneck, The Conversation, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for laity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laity
Noun
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In 1860, members of Smith's immediate family and others who had rejected Young's leadership sought to reorganize the church Smith had led.—
Frank E. Lockwood,
Arkansas Online,
24 May 2025
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However, the meeting hardly quelled tensions between the two churches.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
23 May 2025
Noun
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The ethnic parishes helped settle these new communities, individually if not in communion with one another.—
Geraldo Cadava,
New Yorker,
22 May 2025
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The parish dates to 1886 with early structures built in 1917, but the existing church structure on South Leyden Avenue and East 137th Street was constructed in 1957, when Prevost would have turned 2.—
Edward Keegan,
Chicago Tribune,
18 May 2025
Noun
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The mayor sat down in front of the large South Side congregation for a discussion with the church’s pastor, Dr. Byron Brazier.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
21 May 2025
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United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has ties to Christ Church as a member of a Tennessee congregation affiliated with the church.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
21 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Laity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laity. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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