congregation
8 synonyms for congregation, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The group of people gathered for worship at a church, synagogue, mosque, or other place of worship.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
churchgoers
worshippers
parishioners
congregating
How to use congregation
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
the congregation of a church
address the congregation
Etymology
From Latin congregatio, from congregare ("to gather into a flock"); adopted by 16th-century Bible translator William Tyndale to render the Greek word for a "gathering of the faithful".
Full origin of congregation →Frequently asked questions
What does “congregation” mean?
The word “congregation” means the group of people gathered for worship at a church, synagogue, mosque, or other place of worship. In plain terms, the people who gather to worship together — or, more loosely, any crowd.
How do you pronounce “congregation”?
“Congregation” is pronounced kongg-rih-GAY-shuhn (/ˌkɑŋɡɹəˈɡeɪʃən/ in IPA).
How do you use “congregation” in a sentence?
Here is “congregation” used in a sentence: “The congregation stood to sing the closing hymn.”
What part of speech is “congregation”?
“Congregation” is a noun.
Where does the word “congregation” come from?
The word “congregation” dates back to around 1500 and comes from Latin. From Latin congregatio, from congregare ("to gather into a flock"); adopted by 16th-century Bible translator William Tyndale to render the Greek word for a "gathering of the faithful".
Is “congregation” a common word?
“Congregation” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “congregation” have?
“Congregation” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the group of people gathered for worship at a church, synagogue, mosque, or other place of worship.
What is the difference between congregation and community?
A congregation specifically refers to the group of people gathered for worship at a church, synagogue, mosque, or other place of worship, while community is a broader term for any group sharing a location, interest, or identity. Every congregation is a kind of community, but not every community is a congregation.
Can congregation be used outside of a religious context?
Yes, congregation can also describe any large gathering of people or things, not only a group assembled for worship. This broader sense is less common but still standard usage.
Is congregation the same as a church denomination?
No, a congregation is the specific group of worshippers who gather at a particular place of worship, while a denomination is a larger organised branch of a religion that may include many separate congregations. A single denomination can encompass thousands of individual congregations.
