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
  • Mamdani also touted his work with the Department of Correction and committed to providing additional resources while delivering remarks to graduating recruits.
    Christina Fan, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026
  • The former five-star recruit represents Australia internationally and prepped at IMG Academy in Florida.
    Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Orbán, replacing Hungary’s liberal constitutional system with a centralized executive model, converted Fidesz’s moral vision into the organizing principle of the state.
    Kapil Komireddi, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Last year, beautiful floral arrangements surrounded diners who feasted on special foods and beverages at the 2025 Carmel Culinary Week, while grassy parks were converted to wine tasting stations, according to social media posts from the event.
    Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 10 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Ethan Agarwal is a newcomer to politics and a fellow Democrat who briefly mounted a campaign for governor last year.
    Grace Hase, Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2026
  • That’s not newcomer-friendly at all.
    Kallie Plagge, The Verge, 11 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • But proselytizing to Muslims by non-Muslims is a crime, and some other Christian denominations have faced persecution from Algerian authorities, who have closed their churches.
    Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
  • But proselytizing to Muslims by non-Muslims is a crime, and some other Christian denominations have faced persecution from Algerian authorities, who have closed their churches.
    ABC News, ABC News, 12 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Proselyte.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proselyte. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.

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