preacher

noun

preach·​er ˈprē-chər How to pronounce preacher (audio)
plural preachers
: one who preaches: such as
a
: a person who delivers a sermon publicly
a street preacher
b
: one whose function is to preach sermons : pastor, minister
She waited patiently on a Sunday morning until the crowd had said good-by to the preacher.Don Jeffries
"What kind of preacher are you? What denomination?" "I was ordained in a Baptist church, but I'm sort of nondenominational now."John Grisham
c
: one who inculcates or exhorts something earnestly or officiously
… he was an ardent preacher of gentlemanly ethics …Paul Schullery
… he was perceived by the larger world, not inaccurately, as a preacher of the hatred.Nicholas Lemann

Examples of preacher in a Sentence

the marriage will be performed by our usual preacher
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.
Unexpectedly, he's been taking it upon himself to continue quoting verses, stepping into the role of a preacher. Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 July 2025 By my rough count, more than a dozen colleges and universities had their beginnings on or near the Great Wagon Road, simple affairs typically begun by Presbyterian preachers who maintained that Christian education was next to godliness. James Dodson july 7, Literary Hub, 7 July 2025 An independent fundamentalist church in Indianapolis is doubling down on a sermon in which a lay preacher encouraged congregants to pray for the deaths of those who identify as LGBTQ+. Alexandria Burris, IndyStar, 4 July 2025 Her father, a church preacher on Second and College streets, would drive the family into downtown Louisville three times a week for church services while Herron, through the car window, would watch groups of people underneath bridges and viaducts. Keely Doll, The Courier-Journal, 4 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for preacher

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of preacher was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Preacher.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preacher. Accessed 23 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

preacher

noun
preach·​er
ˈprē-chər
: one that preaches

More from Merriam-Webster on preacher

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!