Evangelize: meaning, definitions and examples

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evangelize

 

[ ɪˈvændʒəlaɪz ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

spread religion

To evangelize means to spread the gospel or the teachings of a religion, typically Christianity, to others. It involves sharing one's faith with the intention of converting others to the same belief system.

Synonyms

convert, preach, proselytize.

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Word Description / Examples
evangelize

Used when spreading the Christian gospel through public preaching or personal witness, often with a focus on positive persuasion.

  • They organized a mission trip to evangelize in the remote villages.
  • He felt a strong calling to evangelize among the youth in his community.
proselytize

Implies attempting to convert someone to a religion, often used with a negative connotation of being forceful or intrusive.

  • Some people feel uncomfortable with aggressive efforts to proselytize.
  • He was accused of trying to proselytize his colleagues at work.
convert

A general term for changing someone’s religious beliefs, often involving a formal or significant change.

  • She decided to convert to Buddhism after years of personal study.
  • The missionary efforts led many to convert to Christianity.
preach

Usually refers to delivering a religious sermon or message, either in a formal setting like a church or in any context where one speaks earnestly.

  • He would preach every Sunday at the local church.
  • She has been invited to preach at the conference next month.

Examples of usage

  • Many missionaries travel to different countries to evangelize and share their faith.
  • The preacher evangelized to the crowd, hoping to inspire them to join the church.
  • She felt called to evangelize to those who had not yet heard the message of salvation.

Translations

Translations of the word "evangelize" in other languages:

🇵🇹 evangelizar

🇮🇳 सुसमाचार प्रचार करना

🇩🇪 evangelisieren

🇮🇩 menginjili

🇺🇦 євангелізувати

🇵🇱 ewangelizować

🇯🇵 伝道する (dendō suru)

🇫🇷 évangéliser

🇪🇸 evangelizar

🇹🇷 vaaz vermek

🇰🇷 전도하다 (jeondohada)

🇸🇦 يبشر (yubashir)

🇨🇿 evangelizovat

🇸🇰 evanjelizovať

🇨🇳 传福音 (chuán fúyīn)

🇸🇮 evangelizirati

🇮🇸 boða trú

🇰🇿 інджілдеу (indzhildeu)

🇬🇪 ევანგელიზაცია (evangelizatsia)

🇦🇿 evangelizasiya etmək

🇲🇽 evangelizar

Etymology

The word 'evangelize' comes from the Greek word 'euangelizesthai,' meaning 'to bring good news.' It has been used in the context of spreading the Christian gospel since the early days of the church. Evangelism has been a key aspect of Christian missionary work, with believers being encouraged to share their faith with others in the hope of bringing them to salvation.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #31,638 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.