as in to convert
to persuade to change to one's religious faith
the efforts of early missionaries to proselytize the Native Americans of Minnesota were largely unproductive
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Recent Examples of proselytize
The suit, which hopes to overturn the law, argues that the city’s ordinance violates the First Amendment and does not apply to other forms of speech, like a political candidate asking for support or a church member proselytizing.
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Vivienne Serret, Miami Herald, 28 May 2025
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
Scherzer has been proselytizing his argument for several years, as M.L.B. has continued to study the issue with what appears to be more intellectual curiosity than urgency.
—Bruce Schoenfeld Robert Fass Tanya Pérez Brian St. Pierre, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for proselytize
Vivienne Serret, Miami Herald, 28 May 2025
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
Scherzer has been proselytizing his argument for several years, as M.L.B. has continued to study the issue with what appears to be more intellectual curiosity than urgency.
—Bruce Schoenfeld Robert Fass Tanya Pérez Brian St. Pierre, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for proselytize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proselytize
convert
Verb
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As Thom Harris observed on The Athletic recently, many of those 13 goals came from close range — converting cutbacks, often from the right, after making runs through the middle.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
30 July 2025
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Mitochondria, often referred to as the powerhouse of the cell, convert food into energy that the cell can use.—
Angelica Bottaro,
Verywell Health,
30 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Proselytize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proselytize. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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