proselyte 1 of 2

Definition of proselytenext
as in recruit
a person who has recently been persuaded to join a religious sect an adult proselyte who had only recently been baptized

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proselyte

2 of 2

verb

as in to convert
to persuade to change to one's religious faith she's been trying to proselyte everyone in the office ever since she joined that church

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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 proselyte
Noun
Seneca went on to become a proselyte for the Stoic path, extolling its benefits in a long run of prose essays while also serving—in some eyes, dishonorably—as an adviser to Nero. James Romm, WSJ, 17 Dec. 2021 In order to understand this idea, the special relationship between God and the proselyte must be examined. Rabbi Avi Weiss, sun-sentinel.com, 17 May 2021 Kitselman also became a proselyte for the history of Waterford, helping to create educational programming at the town’s Second Street School. Washington Post, 17 Mar. 2021 Christian Angermayer is an unlikely proselyte of psychedelia: The German financier didn’t drink so much as a sip of beer for the first three decades of his life. Meghana Keshavan, Scientific American, 9 July 2019 Enter proselytes in acetate eyeglasses and Rosie Pope workwear, drawn by listservs like Brooklynitos and Fort Greene Kids and BoCoCa Moms (BoCoCa being an acronym for three adjacent Brooklyn neighborhoods). Sonja Sharp, latimes.com, 27 June 2018 The authors observe that Yemeni Jews share elevated IBD with other Jewish populations, suggesting more than an indigenous proselyte origin for this community. Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 13 Aug. 2012
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proselyte
Noun
  • Illinois Wesleyan recruit Conor McCabe went 2-for-4 and delivered a three-run double in the fifth inning to put the Knights (13-11, 6-5) ahead for good.
    Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
  • The 2022 crash killed sheriff’s recruit Alejandro Martinez-Inzunza and seriously injured 10 others.
    Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
Verb
  • This shift supports the current valuation premium as the company aims to convert its backlog into high-margin, recurring revenue.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
  • The former brew house equipment area has now been converted into additional seating, adding roughly 40 seats to the dining room.
    Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • There’s also category newcomer Kevin Hart, whose Funny AF crowned its inaugural winner this week.
    Joe Reid, Vulture, 10 May 2026
  • Proctor bragged about properly hydrating himself before practice, which is something past and present Dolphins coaches and trainers annually lecture the newcomers about to avoid dehydration, and the use of intravenous fluids.
    Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 10 May 2026
Verb
  • Opponents have argued that hanging the Ten Commandments in classrooms proselytizes to students and amounts to religious indoctrination by the government.
    ABC News, ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026
  • For the other Massachusetts millenials out there, Bertucci’s (and those of us who proselytize it) did get a shoutout.
    Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 15 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Proselyte.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proselyte. Accessed 17 May. 2026.

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