evan·gel·i·cal
ˌē-ˌvan-ˈje-li-kəl 
ˌe-vən-
variants
or less commonly evangelic
ˌē-ˌvan-ˈje-lik
ˌe-vən-
1
: of, relating to, or being in agreement with the Christian gospel especially as it is presented in the four Gospels
2
3
: emphasizing salvation by faith in the atoning death of Jesus Christ through personal conversion, the authority of Scripture, and the importance of preaching as contrasted with ritual
4
a
capitalized
: of or relating to the Evangelical Church in Germany
b
often capitalized
: of, adhering to, or marked by fundamentalism : fundamentalist
c
often capitalized
: low church
5
: marked by militant or crusading zeal : evangelistic
the evangelical ardor of the movement's leaders—
Amos Vogel
Amos Vogeloften capitalized
: one holding evangelical principles or belonging to an evangelical party or church
Examples of evangelical in a Sentence
Adjective
She is an evangelical Christian.
He spoke about the project with evangelical zeal.
Recent Examples on the Web
Victor Gaetan, Foreign Affairs, 25 Apr. 2025
In the United States, where various types of Protestantism used to be associated with elite culture, Catholicism has risen on the right, while various evangelical, and both Catholicism more tolerant nondenominational Christian churches, have grown, as opposed to more popular atheism or agnosticism.
—Christian Paz, Vox, 25 Apr. 2025
Shalom Goldman, The Conversation, 2 Apr. 2025
Machen’s fellow fundamentalists and evangelicals were far less sanguine about an ideological alliance with Catholics.
—Austin Steelman / Made By History, TIME, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for evangelical
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Adjective
If his successor is chosen from the global South, his evangelical campaigns may continue.
—Victor Gaetan, Foreign Affairs, 25 Apr. 2025
In the United States, where various types of Protestantism used to be associated with elite culture, Catholicism has risen on the right, while various evangelical, and both Catholicism more tolerant nondenominational Christian churches, have grown, as opposed to more popular atheism or agnosticism.
—Christian Paz, Vox, 25 Apr. 2025
Noun
Conservative evangelicals, on the other hand, tended to be more hostile to Arab political aspirations.
—Shalom Goldman, The Conversation, 2 Apr. 2025
Machen’s fellow fundamentalists and evangelicals were far less sanguine about an ideological alliance with Catholics.
—Austin Steelman / Made By History, TIME, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for evangelical
Cite this Entry
“Evangelical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/evangelical. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
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