as in missioners
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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Recent Examples of missionaries
The megahit comedy musical about religious missionaries in Uganda has been on Broadway since 2011 (minus a COVID-19 break) and is currently the 10th longest-running Broadway show of all time.
—
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 8 Apr. 2026
These young female missionaries, dressed in white, have been sent into Canada to draw girls to Gilead’s cause.
—Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
The story is spread by the Aunts, who pray for her return, as well as missionaries from Gilead who hand out flyers demanding Nichole’s return.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 8 Apr. 2026
They were followed in 1527 by Dominican missionaries, and eight years later a Portuguese port and trading center were established at Faifo (modern Hoi An), south of present-day Da Nang.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
But the presence in Iran of American missionaries and, later, invited government technocrats, was of an entirely different quality.
—Daniel Thomas Potts, The Conversation, 30 Mar. 2026
Others see a need for a covert way to support missionaries.
—Bracey Harris, NBC news, 28 Mar. 2026
Port Harcourt was founded in 1913 and governed by the military, the police, and by courts that upheld colonial law to protect British commercial interests and missionaries.
—Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026
This outrageous musical comedy follows the adventures of a mismatched pair of missionaries, sent halfway across the world to spread the Good Word.
—Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 8 Apr. 2026
These young female missionaries, dressed in white, have been sent into Canada to draw girls to Gilead’s cause.
—Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
The story is spread by the Aunts, who pray for her return, as well as missionaries from Gilead who hand out flyers demanding Nichole’s return.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 8 Apr. 2026
They were followed in 1527 by Dominican missionaries, and eight years later a Portuguese port and trading center were established at Faifo (modern Hoi An), south of present-day Da Nang.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
But the presence in Iran of American missionaries and, later, invited government technocrats, was of an entirely different quality.
—Daniel Thomas Potts, The Conversation, 30 Mar. 2026
Others see a need for a covert way to support missionaries.
—Bracey Harris, NBC news, 28 Mar. 2026
Port Harcourt was founded in 1913 and governed by the military, the police, and by courts that upheld colonial law to protect British commercial interests and missionaries.
—Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026
This outrageous musical comedy follows the adventures of a mismatched pair of missionaries, sent halfway across the world to spread the Good Word.
—Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for missionaries
Noun
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Prisoners exchanged Russia's Defense Ministry said that a prisoner swap Saturday brought home 175 of its soldiers.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
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Another work from this era, Veterans Day (2016), features a flow of musical notes that surround a framed newspaper article about the conviction of Muhammad Ali for refusing to fight in the American war in Vietnam and an old photograph of soldiers raising their fists.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
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An Alameda County jury on Wednesday delivered a $16 million judgment against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland, in a key lawsuit that could have far-reaching consequences for both the church and for hundreds of people claiming decades of abuse by its priests.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
22 Apr. 2026
-
In Colina, Chile, pilgrims on horseback took part in the Quasimodo Feast, a procession held the Sunday following Easter, accompanying priests giving communion to the poor.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Two monks sustained serious injuries, and one monk lost part of his leg as a result of the crash.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Missionaries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/missionaries. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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