Synonyms of missionaries

missionaries

noun

plural of missionary

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.

Related Words

• missioners
• soldiers
• priests
• monks
• apostles
• ministers
• preachers
• bishops
• evangelists
• friars
• deacons
• clergymen
• students
• religious
• proselytizers
• revivalists
• ecclesiastics
• pastors
• clerics
• scholars
• churchmen
• mendicants
• monastics
• padres
• clericals
• chaplains
• deaconesses
• divines
• prelates
• priestesses
• popes
• archbishops
• vicars
• abbots
• deans
• presbyters
• reverends
• oblates
• rectors
• fathers
• clerks
• clergypersons
• advocates
• confessors
• parsons
• shepherds
• supporters
• clergywomen
• dominies
• diocesans
• protégés
• loyalists
• disciples
• curés
• devotees
• abbés
• partisans
• Holy Joes
• curates
• archpriests
• adherents
• sectarians
• worshippers
• monsignors
• cultists
• fans
• zealots
• ideologists
• champions
• high priests
• enthusiasts
• sky pilots
• followers
• acolytes
• idolaters
• votaries
• pupils
• high priestesses
• ideologues
• admirers
• converts
• faithfuls
• backers
• liege men
• epigones
• votarists

Dissimilar Words

• traitors
• renegades
• defectors
• leaders
• apostates
• turncoats
• laymen
• laypeople
• seculars
• lectors
• lay readers
• coryphaei

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of missionaries

Background After the Hawaiian Islands were charted in the late 18th century, American and European merchants, missionaries, and settlers began arriving there in earnest in the 1800s. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 July 2026

More than a century ago, French Catholic missionaries introduced winemaking to northern Yunnan, producing vines for sacramental wine and leaving behind a legacy that blends European techniques with local Tibetan culture. — Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026

Bergen played Shirley, one of the missionaries who were caught in the crossfire when the Chinese Civil War began. — Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 8 July 2026

Once inside a world, the missionaries split up and seek out small groups chatting in quieter corners. — Fiona Murphy, NPR, 2 July 2026

Another stand-out category is Hawaiian quilts, which the expert says tend to feature large, bold floral designs and reflect traditional Hawaiian aesthetics that were adapted after quilting was introduced by missionaries. — Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 June 2026

Hawaii has a long and complex history, from its Indigenous roots and royal monarchy to the arrival of missionaries and Western influence. — Sharael Kolberg, Travel + Leisure, 26 June 2026

After the revolution, there was an explosion of missionaries from all sects to preach their version. — Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 11 June 2026

Scholars say 16th-century Catholic missionaries introduced Europe’s Grim Reaper figure to Mexico’s indigenous population, believing fear of death would instill a desire for salvation and convert them to Christianity. — Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 7 June 2026