congregation

8 synonyms and 1 antonym 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.

assembly faithful

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

flock fold

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

churchgoers worshippers parishioners congregating

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

The group of people gathered for worship at a church, synagogue, mosque, or other place of worship.

“The vicar welcomed every member of the congregation at the door after the service.”

assembly flock churchgoers worshippers parishioners faithful fold congregating

2. noun

Any large gathering of people or things.

“A congregation of seagulls gathered around the chip shop bins.”

Opposites

dispersion

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.

People also searched

Assembly faithful fold flock dispersion

Nearby words

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