What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
missionarize
Example
The church sent a group of missionaries to missionarize in the remote village. [missionarize: verb]
Example
He spent his life missionarizing and spreading the gospel to people around the world. [missionarizing: gerund or present participle]
convert
Example
She decided to convert to Buddhism after years of studying the religion. [convert: verb]
Example
The politician tried to convert voters to his side by promising lower taxes. [convert: verb]
Example
The factory was able to convert waste materials into useful products. [convert: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Convert is more commonly used than missionarize in everyday language. Convert is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while missionarize is less common and refers to a specific type of belief system promotion.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between missionarize and convert?
Missionarize may be considered more formal or specialized than convert, which can be used in both formal and informal contexts.