missionary 1 of 2

noun

Definition of missionarynext
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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missionary

2 of 2

adjective

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of missionary
Noun
Not surprisingly, playing a Mormon missionary, even one being psychologically tortured by a creepy English recluse, was not a huge stretch for Thatcher. — Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 3 Aug. 2026 After high school Devey spent two years in Costa Rica as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. — Kansas City Star, 24 July 2026
Adjective
Built in the 19th century as a missionary complex, the school embodies layers of history for which Rome is known. — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 14 June 2026 Two other American missionary doctors in Congo, Peter Stafford and Rebekah Stafford, were also exposed and evacuated. — Nikol Mudrová, USA Today, 11 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for missionary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for missionary
  1. missioner
  2. apostolic
  3. soldier
  4. evangelical
  5. priest
  6. monk
Noun
  • In 1976, the residence was redesigned as a retirement home for church missioners.
    — George Avalos, Mercury News, 10 June 2026
  • 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
Definition of missioner
Adjective
  • On June 2, 1979, Pope John Paul II set out from Rome on an apostolic journey, as papal trips away from the Vatican are called.
    — Paul Elie, New Yorker, 8 May 2026
  • The leader of the Roman Catholic Church directed his remarks to university students at the Catholic University of Central Africa in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, during an 11-day apostolic journey in Africa.
    — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Definition of apostolic
Noun
  • Just a few years earlier, in 2005, the service had missed essentially the same recruiting target by 6,600 soldiers.
    — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Two soldiers were killed, one of them his friend, Staff Sergeant Anthony Lagman.
    — Anderson Cooper, CBS News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of soldier
Adjective
  • Doug Pagitt, a pastor and executive director of Vote Common Good, an organization dedicated to Democratic outreach to Catholic and evangelical voters, echoed Warnock's comment.
    — Hannah Demissie, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • In Latin America, right-wing figures like Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil and Christian evangelical groups in Peru, Costa Rica, and Colombia have similarly championed the anti-trans and anti-gender cause.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of evangelical
Noun
  • Even a local Catholic priest launched a holy war against the school over its new athletic facility.
    — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 17 Aug. 2026
  • But then his family temple needed a priest, and his life onstage came to an end.
    — Pico Iyer, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of priest
Noun
  • The monk-to-entrepreneur pipeline has shocked some of his fans and followers who say making $21 million a year is antithetical to a monk lifestyle.
    — Alexandra York, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Users who have downloaded his app include a strip club owner, a Buddhist monk and parents.
    — Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of monk

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Cite this Entry

“Missionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/missionary. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on missionary

Nglish: Translation of missionary for Spanish Speakers

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