proselytize

verb pros·e·ly·tize \ ˈprä-s(ə-)lə-ˌtīz \

Updated on: 28 Feb 2018

Definition of proselytize

proselytized; proselytizing

intransitive verb

1 : to induce someone to convert to one's faith

2 : to recruit someone to join one's party, institution, or cause

transitive verb

: to recruit or convert especially to a new faith, institution, or cause

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proselytization

play \ˌprä-s(ə-)lə-tə-ˈzā-shən, ˌprä-sə-ˌlī-tə-\ noun

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proselytizer

play \ˈprä-s(ə-)lə-ˌtī-zər\ noun

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Examples of proselytize in a Sentence

They are a sport-shirted, discomforted lot, pacing, puffing feverishly on cigarettes, perspiring freely and proselytizing furiously. —Nicholas Dawidoff, Sports Illustrated, 19 Aug. 1991
His prodigious correspondence with twenty-five hundred scientists, politicians, and men of letters … proselytized for his new science of statistics. —Daniel J. Boorstin, The Discoverers, 1983
He uses his position to proselytize for the causes that he supports.
the efforts of early missionaries to proselytize the Native Americans of Minnesota were largely unproductive

Recent Examples of proselytize from the Web

One faction is led by Roger Ver, a very early funder of Bitcoin startups who has relentlessly proselytized for the technology since 2011.

— david z. morris, Slate Magazine, "Bitcoin’s King Solomon Moment," 6 June 2017
Shannon has proselytized about such beliefs before.

— eric sullivan, Esquire, "Michael Shannon Won’t Tone It Down," 5 Oct. 2017
Best then, to use the campaign to proselytize for the party’s economic vision, and let Trump’s deficiencies speak for themselves.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "Pelosi Wants Democrats to Talk Economics, Not Impeachment," 1 Nov. 2017
Neighborhood to proselytize about without ever actually visiting: Hongkou.

— jiayang fan, Esquire, "How to Do Shanghai Like a Local," 29 Aug. 2017
At the same time, Islamic State leaves in its wake radicalized youth and an extensive internet network still actively recruiting new jihadists and proselytizing an extremist ideology.

— maria abi-habib, WSJ, "U.S.-Backed Forces Say They Have Taken Raqqa, Islamic State’s Last Urban Stronghold," 17 Oct. 2017
Conservative media's frequent homogeneity can be a proselytizing asset, especially in helping Second Amendment diehards fend off gun control pushes.

— james warren, The Hive, "Right-Wing Media Is Losing Its Mind Over Las Vegas," 5 Oct. 2017
There is the Oscar-winning actor who unabashedly proselytizes about the usefulness of the machines (Tom Hanks).

— mike scott, NOLA.com, "'California Typewriter' movie review: Songs in the key of qwerty," 20 Sep. 2017
The challenge is to shine a light on the threat, without helping them to proselytize their views.

— ellen mcgirt, Fortune, "How to Ask the Tough Questions About Race and Diversity," 24 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'proselytize.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Proselytize comes from the noun proselyte (meaning "a new convert"), which comes from the Late Latin noun proselytus. Proselytus means "stranger" or "alien resident," and comes from a similar Greek word (prosēlytos). When proselytize entered English in the 17th century, it had a distinctly religious connotation and meant simply "to recruit religious converts." This meaning is still common, but today one can also proselytize in a broader sense - recruiting converts to one's political party or pet cause, for example.