proselytize

/proselytize/

Thân thiện

A missionary proselytizes to a group of villagers in a peaceful setting.

Definition

1. Verb:
   • To attempt to convert someone to a different religion, belief, or opinion: The core meaning involves actively trying to persuade someone to change their faith, religious denomination, or ideological stance.
   • To recruit or convert to a new cause, party, or doctrine: This extends the meaning to non-religious contexts, referring to the act of zealously recruiting people to a particular group, movement, or set of ideas.

Usage and Examples

• Verb:
  • Missionaries traveled to the region to proselytize. (They went with the specific purpose of trying to convert people to their religion.)
  • He is always trying to proselytize his political views at dinner parties. (He persistently attempts to convert others to his political ideology.)
  • The group was accused of proselytizing new members aggressively. (The group was criticized for its forceful efforts to recruit and convert people to its cause.)

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• The term often carries a neutral to slightly negative connotation, implying persistent, earnest, or sometimes unwelcome efforts to convert others.
• "Proselytizing" (the gerund/noun form) is commonly used to describe the activity itself.
  • The law protects freedom of religion but restricts public proselytizing.
• It is distinct from simply "explaining" or "discussing" one's beliefs; it implies an active intent to change the other person's mind.

Variants and Related Words

• Proselytization (n): The act or process of proselytizing.
  • The proselytization efforts of the early church were extensive.
• Proselyte (n): A person who has been converted from one opinion, religion, or party to another.
  • He was a proselyte to the new philosophical movement.
• Proselytizer (n): A person who proselytizes.
  • She was a passionate proselytizer for environmental causes.

Synonyms

• Convert: To change someone's religious faith or belief. (Often focuses on the result, while "proselytize" focuses on the attempt.)
• Evangelize: To preach the gospel with the aim of converting; often used in Christian contexts but can be generalized.
• Recruit: To enlist someone in a cause or organization. (More general, less focused on belief change.)
• Propagandize: To spread information, especially of a biased nature, to promote a political cause or point of view. (Often has a stronger negative connotation.)

Antonyms

• Tolerate: To allow the existence of beliefs different from one's own without interference.
• Dissuade: To persuade someone not to take a particular course of action or belief.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• To proselytize for a cause: To actively campaign or argue in favor of a specific cause to gain adherents.
  • She spent her retirement proselytizing for animal rights.
• While not a phrasal verb, the construction "try to proselytize" is very common, emphasizing the attempted action rather than its success.

Học thuật

Verb

1. convert to another faith or religion

Từ đồng nghĩa

• proselytise