as in missioner
a person who is sent especially to a foreign country to do religious work (such as converting people to the religion or ministering to the sick)
The missionaries sent to the island were ultimately unsuccessful in converting the native residents.
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as in apostolic
relating to missionaries or their work
The church organizes missionary trips to a variety of countries.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of missionary
Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026
This outrageous musical comedy follows the adventures of a mismatched pair of missionaries, sent halfway across the world to spread the Good Word.
—Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
Christa Swanson, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
His missionary experience in Peru, and international experience more broadly, was crucial.
—Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for missionary
Noun
Port Harcourt was founded in 1913 and governed by the military, the police, and by courts that upheld colonial law to protect British commercial interests and missionaries.
—Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026
This outrageous musical comedy follows the adventures of a mismatched pair of missionaries, sent halfway across the world to spread the Good Word.
—Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Aquila hopes that his community has found a deeper love of Christ and the sacraments through his service and an understanding of the importance of being missionary disciples.
—Christa Swanson, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
His missionary experience in Peru, and international experience more broadly, was crucial.
—Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for missionary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for missionary
Noun
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Kelley Hudlow, missioner for clergy formation for the diocese, told NBC affiliate WVTM of Birmingham soon after the shooting that church leaders were trying to learn more.—
Phil Helsel,
NBC News,
17 June 2022
-
Eby will continue to serve as outreach missioner at the Church of the Nativity and as priest-in-charge at St. Timothy’s Church in Athens.—
al,
al,
1 Dec. 2020
Adjective
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Kast and his wife are part of Schoenstatt, a Catholic apostolic movement devoted to the Virgin Mary.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Like his apostolic namesake, Thomas believes unquestioningly in the evidence of his senses.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Military police are often the only armed personnel on base, outside of shooting ranges, hunting areas or in training, where soldiers can wield their service weapons without ammunition.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
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The village’s Black residents, including Hettie, are energized by a promising but tangled effort to redress a long-standing injustice—the unequal compensation received by Black South African soldiers in the Second World War.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Hegseth frequently invokes his evangelical faith as head of the armed forces, depicting a Christian nation trying to vanquish its foes with military might.—
Tiffany Stanley,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Mar. 2026
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The evangelical pastor, who also works as a mason, arrived in Tapachula in August 2024.—
Edgar H. Clemente,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The concierge specializes in Kyoto’s cultural events, and can help access exclusive ochaya with an interpreter, score tickets to the theater, book dinner reservations, a huge help in Kyoto, or help arrange meetings with monks and priests at the city’s Shinto shrines and temples.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 Apr. 2026
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Nonbinary people have often occupied unique positions in their societies, serving as priests, artists, and ceremonial leaders.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In October of 1517, a 34-year-old monk named Martin Luther (probably) nailed his famous Ninety-Five Theses to the door of All Saint’s Church in Wittenberg, in what is now eastern Germany.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
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The city’s oldest Zen Buddhist temple, Kennin-ji Temple is across the street, and one of the hotel’s many offerings is a quiet early morning walking meditation led by a monk in the dry gardens of its sub-temple Ryosokuin.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Missionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/missionary. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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