evangelize

verb

evan·​ge·​lize i-ˈvan-jə-ˌlīz How to pronounce evangelize (audio)
evangelized; evangelizing

transitive verb

1
: to preach the gospel to
2
: to convert to Christianity

intransitive verb

: to preach the gospel
evangelization noun
evangelizer noun

Examples of evangelize in a Sentence

The missionaries set out to evangelize the world. They were evangelizing about the importance of saving energy.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Is the cause of Wings something that really needs to be … evangelized? Chris Willman, Variety, 4 Sep. 2025 Celebrities evangelize companies when something fixes a personal frustration. Lilian Raji, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025 Many people have therefore adopted an automation mindset, in their desire either to evangelize AI or to warn against it. David Autor, The Atlantic, 24 Aug. 2025 Now, with Vision Pro on shelves and AR an official focus for Apple’s future pipeline, thanks to years of CEO Tim Cook evangelizing the bleeding-edge tech, Apple is putting these spatial capabilities front and center in the iPhone. Dave Smith, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for evangelize

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of evangelize was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Evangelize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/evangelize. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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