1
: a clergyperson in charge of a chapel
2
: a clergyperson officially attached to a branch of the military, to an institution, or to a family or court
3
: a person chosen to conduct religious exercises (as at a meeting of a club or society)
4
: a clergyperson appointed to assist a bishop (as at a liturgical function)
Examples of chaplain in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Senate Bill 523 allows a principal or superintendent of a public school, including a charter school, to approve bringing in a school chaplain if certain requirements are met.
—
Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2025
Collins, a former Air Force chaplain, was confirmed on a 77-23 vote, becoming the latest addition to President Trump's Cabinet.
—CBS News, 4 Feb. 2025
Luke Walford, a school chaplain and youth pastor, was killed by a shark while spearfishing with his family in a popular tourist spot in Australia on Saturday, according to local officials.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 29 Dec. 2024
Other sites that showed La Guardia as a Grandview police chaplain also were taken down after the allegations surfaced — including the Grandview Police Department’s chaplain site, which had photos and bios of its chaplains, with La Guardia described as a head chaplain.
—Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2025
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Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2025
Collins, a former Air Force chaplain, was confirmed on a 77-23 vote, becoming the latest addition to President Trump's Cabinet.
—CBS News, 4 Feb. 2025
Luke Walford, a school chaplain and youth pastor, was killed by a shark while spearfishing with his family in a popular tourist spot in Australia on Saturday, according to local officials.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 29 Dec. 2024
Other sites that showed La Guardia as a Grandview police chaplain also were taken down after the allegations surfaced — including the Grandview Police Department’s chaplain site, which had photos and bios of its chaplains, with La Guardia described as a head chaplain.
—Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chaplain
Cite this Entry
“Chaplain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chaplain. Accessed 7 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
chaplain
noun
chap·lain
ˈchap-lən 
1
: a member of the clergy officially attached to a special group (as the army)
2
: a person chosen to conduct religious exercises (as for a club)
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