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to missionize

to missionize

8.4
To try to make people follow a religion
  • verb
  • /ˈmɪʃəˌnaɪz/
translation icon : misionar
  • Protestant ministers now see themselves as a legitimate part of Mexican society and have organized in ways to effectively assert their right to missionize.

Examples

  • Thereby, the missionary ensured the full loyalty of the whole band by missionizing from the top and by keeping traditional structures alive, as well as by reinforcing a formerly more dynamic hierarchy.

    Academic text (2002)
  • The missionaries traveled to remote villages to missionize the local population.

  • The Catholic Church was the first missionizing influence in the region.

    Academic text (1996)
  • His influence must have been quite substantial, as was his engagement to missionize the Micmac.

    Academic text (2002)
  • Among the Italian Canadian converts were missionaries who left for Italy in the 1910s and 1920s partly to missionize, but also to find wives for themselves and others among the Old World converts.

    Academic text (2000)
  • Many organizations work tirelessly to missionize communities around the world.

  • She decided to missionize in Africa after feeling a strong calling to share her faith.

Synonyms

to convert
vsto missionize
131 4.5

Change your religion, or persuade someone else to do this

involves organized outreach to spread a faith rather than only personal change
to proselytize
vsto missionize
  • US
12 9.1

To try to persuade someone to join another religion

focuses on organized religious outreach aiming to gain new adherents
to evangelize
vsto missionize
3 7.7

Try to persuade people to become Christians by preaching

is broader applying to outreach across different religions rather than one
to Christianize
vsto missionize
1 7.7

To make people or places follow Christianity

is broader covering conversion efforts across religions rather than that specific one

How Active

to proselytize
  • US
12 9.1
to missionize
8.4

Surface Forms

missionize infinitive
missionized past participle
missionizing present participle
missionizes third person singular

Morphology

missionize = mission (transparent) = mission + ize

The verb is productively formed by adding the verbalizer '-ize' to the noun 'mission', yielding 'to carry out missionary activity', which is directly inferable.

Etymology

Missionize comes from mission ('sent') and the ending -ize ('make or do'), and a mission was originally someone sent by a church to teach or help others. So, to missionize is to go out and try to convert people or carry out missionary work.