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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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
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Recent Examples of missionary
Steve Patterson, Florida Times-Union, 14 Jan. 2026
Hit the apps Diplomats, CEOs and missionaries often learn languages in high-intensity, immersive environments with dedicated instructors.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Jan. 2026
Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 6 Jan. 2026
Will’s missionary work turns the Shakers into a movement and the source of some truly excellent furniture.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 26 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for missionary
Noun
Some of that reporting said the weapons were intended for delivery to 400 Mawozo, a Haitian street gang that gained wide attention in 2021 for kidnapping 17 missionaries with a religious group from Ohio.
—Steve Patterson, Florida Times-Union, 14 Jan. 2026
Hit the apps Diplomats, CEOs and missionaries often learn languages in high-intensity, immersive environments with dedicated instructors.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Mame Hill was 24, pregnant with her second child, doing missionary work while living in Mexico City when her body abruptly stopped cooperating.
—Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 6 Jan. 2026
Will’s missionary work turns the Shakers into a movement and the source of some truly excellent furniture.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 26 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for missionary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for missionary
Noun
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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
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Eby will continue to serve as outreach missioner at the Church of the Nativity and as priest-in-charge at St. Timothy’s Church in Athens.—
al,
al,
1 Dec. 2020
Adjective
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The ceremony will be presided over by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio to the United States.—
Ashley Carnahan,
FOXNews.com,
18 Dec. 2025
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Pope Leo at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa on Monday, the second day of his apostolic visit to Lebanon.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
3 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Israel's military has said its strikes are responses to Hamas violations of the ceasefire or militant attacks on its soldiers.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Feb. 2026
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An acronym for Size, Activity, Location, Uniform, Time, Equipment, SALUTE is a mnemonic device that typically instructs soldiers how to systematically track details about enemies.—
Asra Q. Nomani , Alba Cuebas-Fantauzzi,
FOXNews.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Last year, the IRS proposed settling a lawsuit brought by the National Religious Broadcasters, an evangelical Christian media group, and two Texas churches that challenged a ban on most nonprofits from endorsing political candidates in elections.—
Lauren Costantino,
Miami Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
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Although the film was made for Netflix, Del Toro was equally evangelical about seeing it on the big screen.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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What to expect at the installation Mass The longer-than-normal Mass will have a large attendance with many religious figures such as bishops, priests, deacons and other guests.—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
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Hundreds of visitors have visited the chapel in recent days to take photos of the image, the parish priest Father Daniele Micheletti said.—
Barbie Latza Nadeau,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Written in Latin, McQuhin recorded in his book a challenge between John Sclater, a monk in Paisley Abbey, and Gavin Hamilton, a representative of the Abbot.—
Ben Morse,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
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Join a pilgrimage to watch the first rainfall on Mars; trap yourself with a death monk in a locked-room murder mystery—or trap yourself with the Shelleys the summer that Mary got a lightning bolt of literary inspiration.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Missionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/missionary. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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