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.

Verb

1. convert to another faith or religion