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
Katie Chang, AFAR Media, 25 Aug. 2025
Leo, the former Robert Prevost, spent most of his adult life working with the poor people of Peru, first as an Augustinian missionary and then as bishop.
—Andrea Rosa, Chicago Tribune, 17 Aug. 2025
Peter Greene, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025
On her first journey, she was summoned by a missionary woman who joined the ship in Yokohama.
—April White, JSTOR Daily, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for missionary
Noun
Around that time, French Catholic missionaries realized that Yunnan provided ideal conditions (sunny days, cool evenings, high altitudes) for cultivating grape vines.
—Katie Chang, AFAR Media, 25 Aug. 2025
Leo, the former Robert Prevost, spent most of his adult life working with the poor people of Peru, first as an Augustinian missionary and then as bishop.
—Andrea Rosa, Chicago Tribune, 17 Aug. 2025
Adjective
After some years of growing differences with Higher Ground Education’s board and lead investors, in 2025, Ray left the organization to pursue his missionary work on his own terms once again.
—Peter Greene, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025
On her first journey, she was summoned by a missionary woman who joined the ship in Yokohama.
—April White, JSTOR Daily, 21 July 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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View Comments The Friday event, which took place inside the Vatican’s apostolic palace, included a roundtable discussion on AI ethics and governance.—
Clare Duffy,
CNN Money,
20 June 2025
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The Friday event, which took place inside the Vatican’s apostolic palace, included a roundtable discussion on AI ethics and governance.—
CNN.com,
Mercury News,
20 June 2025
Noun
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To maintain tanks’ relevance, Russian and Ukrainian soldiers have covered them in different configurations of armor as ad hoc solutions to rapidly shifting tactics.—
Marco Hernandez,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed soldiers had been sent to the area, per the BBC.—
Becca Longmire,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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And dialogue is something that McConaughey, with a Southern drawl that veers between seductive and evangelical, excels at delivering.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
5 Sep. 2025
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South Korea’s far-right movement, especially evangelical Christians and Yoon supporters, sees him as a victim of communist persecution.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
26 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The investigation involves local police, priests, and a house of God.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Sep. 2025
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The most high profile of which is The Haunting of Hill House, but Midnight Mass, the story of a priest who arrives at a small island community performing miracles, is easily one of his best.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
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There are black-and-white scenes from what appears to be a cracked Biblical drama featuring a levitating monk and, to the particular bafflement of the producer, a dancing Pulcinella.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
5 Sep. 2025
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In her retellings, Daedone has described Davon as a Buddhist monk.—
Thessaly La Force,
New Yorker,
29 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Missionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/missionary. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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