proselyte 1 of 2

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
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 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 Rashi concludes that the text, therefore, must refer to a ger, a proselyte, who has died leaving no next of kin among the Jewish People. Rabbi Avi Weiss, sun-sentinel.com, 17 May 2021 The law of gezel hager (stealing from a proselyte) reminds us that the Torah was given to all Jews – including converts. Rabbi Avi Weiss, sun-sentinel.com, 17 May 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proselyte
Noun
  • The Richardson, Texas, native stepped into the Huskies’ basketball facility with expectations similar to those on Stephon Castle, Dan Hurley’s first McDonald’s All-American recruit who helped win a national championship before being picked fourth overall and winning NBA Rookie of the Year.
    Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 11 May 2025
  • Sacramento State for decades has lost interested recruits to other schools that had a superior basketball venue.
    Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 11 May 2025
Verb
  • Scheffler has now successfully converted his first three 54-hole leads or co-leads in majors, something done only nine other times in the modern era.
    Justin Ray, New York Times, 19 May 2025
  • Apple and Google have also made efforts to remove AI services that convert clothed images into manipulated nude ones from their app stores and search results.
    Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 19 May 2025
Noun
  • Hartford Courant Headlining the Sun’s newcomers is eight-time All-Star Tina Charles, a familiar face for longtime fans of women’s basketball in Connecticut.
    Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 18 May 2025
  • Created by Lion Shield, a three-man development team based in Oregon, this accessible strategy game combines resource management, urban planning and light-defense mechanics, offering a relaxing, yet engaging, experience that appeals to newcomers and fans of the genre.
    Jason Bennett, Arkansas Online, 18 May 2025
Verb
  • However, state officials argue that the Catholic Charities Bureau does not qualify because its services—such as caring for the elderly and disabled—are not overtly religious or tied to proselytizing.
    Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2025
  • And Justice Elena Kagan pointed out that some religions proselytize and some don’t.
    Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Proselyte.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proselyte. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

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