missionary 1 of 2

noun

Definition of missionarynext
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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missionary

2 of 2

adjective

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

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 missionary
Noun
The organization drew international attention in 2021, when 17 of its missionaries were kidnapped on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince by the 400 Mawozo gang. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2026 Visiting missionaries fill tribal members’ gas tanks and replace their sagging roofs. — Savannah Peters, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Adjective
The story follows him through his missionary work, traveling with his wife Maria and good friend, Wang Laijun. — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 20 July 2026 The discovery of Iron Ore in Minnesota sprung mining towns during his missionary efforts in the region. — Vivian Wilson, Twin Cities, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for missionary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for missionary
  1. missioner
  2. apostolic
  3. soldier
  4. evangelical
  5. priest
  6. monk
Noun
  • In 1976, the residence was redesigned as a retirement home for church missioners.
    — George Avalos, Mercury News, 10 June 2026
  • 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
Definition of missioner
Adjective
  • On June 2, 1979, Pope John Paul II set out from Rome on an apostolic journey, as papal trips away from the Vatican are called.
    — Paul Elie, New Yorker, 8 May 2026
  • The leader of the Roman Catholic Church directed his remarks to university students at the Catholic University of Central Africa in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, during an 11-day apostolic journey in Africa.
    — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Definition of apostolic
Noun
  • By transporting supplies, supporting reconnaissance activities, and assisting with casualty evacuation, unmanned ground vehicles can potentially reduce soldiers’ physical workload while extending their operational reach.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
  • One priority for Army planners is protecting the identities of soldiers selected to carry out the execution, one official described.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of soldier
Adjective
  • In his 20s, Gortner became disillusioned with the evangelical movement and became an aspiring actor in New York.
    — Pat Saperstein, Variety, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The accusation tapped into Catholics’ fears over losing ground to evangelicals and could weaken the presidential bid of Bolsonaro, who is evangelical.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of evangelical
Noun
  • In the foreground of the painting rises a lone umbrella pine; at its base are the tiny figures of a priest and a young girl.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Trending Video At the time, Frederick and his husband, William, a priest, were living in church housing.
    — Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of priest
Noun
  • Meanwhile, one monk intones that more offerings will bring the family greater blessing and peace.
    — Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2026
  • What draws Béatrice’s attention is a fantastical claim made by a Benedictine monk in an Italian magazine article from the 1970s.
    — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of monk

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Cite this Entry

“Missionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/missionary. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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