missionary 1 of 2

noun

Definition of missionarynext
as in missioner
a person who is sent especially to a foreign country to do religious work (such as converting people to the religion or ministering to the sick) The missionaries sent to the island were ultimately unsuccessful in converting the native residents.

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missionary

2 of 2

adjective

as in apostolic
relating to missionaries or their work The church organizes missionary trips to a variety of countries.

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of missionary
Noun
The German missionary who had settled in the highlands had started a Lutheran school, and Gajdusek asked him to find a good candidate among the students. — Rachel Aviv, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026 The New York Times, which first reported Rideout's release, said the 50-year-old had worked as a missionary in Niger for 19 years and was a pilot for SIM International. — CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
Adjective
The discovery of Iron Ore in Minnesota sprung mining towns during his missionary efforts in the region. — Vivian Wilson, Twin Cities, 8 July 2026 Built in the 19th century as a missionary complex, the school embodies layers of history for which Rome is known. — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 14 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for missionary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for missionary
  1. missioner
  2. apostolic
  3. soldier
  4. evangelical
  5. priest
  6. monk
Noun
  • In 1976, the residence was redesigned as a retirement home for church missioners.
    — George Avalos, Mercury News, 10 June 2026
  • Kelley Hudlow, missioner for clergy formation for the diocese, told NBC affiliate WVTM of Birmingham soon after the shooting that church leaders were trying to learn more.
    — Phil Helsel, NBC News, 17 June 2022
Definition of missioner
Adjective
  • On June 2, 1979, Pope John Paul II set out from Rome on an apostolic journey, as papal trips away from the Vatican are called.
    — Paul Elie, New Yorker, 8 May 2026
  • The leader of the Roman Catholic Church directed his remarks to university students at the Catholic University of Central Africa in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, during an 11-day apostolic journey in Africa.
    — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Definition of apostolic
Noun
  • This is my personal version of those videos of soldiers coming home from war, and the other women react as such.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
  • An older man was carefully helped off one helicopter, while a soldier carried an older woman on his back to a medical tent.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of soldier
Adjective
  • As literary scholar Leah Price has observed, the it-narrative’s premise held special appeal for Christian missionaries, whose evangelical activities likewise hinged on social circulation.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The two, who had a 15-year age gap, began having an affair in 2015, which divided the evangelical members.
    — Kalia Richardson, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of evangelical
Noun
  • In 1972, William Christopher joined the cast of M*A*S*H as Father John Mulcahy, the Catholic priest who serves as the Army chaplain.
    — Rachel Flynn, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
  • For the traditional Telugu Hindu ceremony, their priest translated Sanskrit to English in real time, and the mandap was designed as a circle to represent how life flows into itself for eternity.
    — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of priest
Noun
  • This might make sense for a Buddhist monk pursuing the great unbinding, but not for a random Brooklynite who just wants to be more productive at work.
    — Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Part of it is the identical outfits, a look that mixes Olsen twins with sister wives and a dash of Franciscan monk.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of monk

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Cite this Entry

“Missionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/missionary. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

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