proselytize
verb
Did you know?
Proselytize comes from the noun proselyte, meaning “a new convert,” which in turn ultimately comes from the Greek prosēlytos, meaning “stranger” or “newcomer.” When proselytize entered English in the 17th century, it had a distinctly religious connotation and meant simply “to recruit religious converts.” This meaning is still common, but today one can also proselytize in a broader sense—recruiting converts to one’s political party or pet cause, for example.
Examples of proselytize in a Sentence
Nicholas Dawidoff, Sports Illustrated, 19 Aug. 1991
His prodigious correspondence with twenty-five hundred scientists, politicians, and men of letters … proselytized for his new science of statistics.
—Daniel J. Boorstin, The Discoverers, 1983
He uses his position to proselytize for the causes that he supports.
the efforts of early missionaries to proselytize the Native Americans of Minnesota were largely unproductive
Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 21 June 2024
It’s got plot holes for stigmata and too many ideas to proselytize anyone toward the creepy Catholic subgenre — but for this unrepeatable artistic consideration, the nerdy backdrop of legacy horror is an ideal altar.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 20 June 2024
Jigsaw has, by now, been unmasked as John Kramer, and spends most of the movie in a sit-down with Wahlberg’s detective, which gives him a lot of time to proselytize about the value of life and speak in riddles.
—Jordan Crucchiola, Vulture, 1 June 2024
William made his request to proselytize through an interpreter, but the interpreter and the khan were drunk, and William did not get a definite answer.
—Valerie Hansen, Foreign Affairs, 6 Sep. 2022
See all Example Sentences for proselytize 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'proselytize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near proselytize
Cite this Entry
“Proselytize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proselytize. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
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proselytize
verb
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