What does evangelizing mean?
Evangelizing is the act of spreading a message with the goal of winning converts. In its original and still dominant religious sense, it means proclaiming the Christian gospel to non-believers, whether through preaching, teaching, or missionary work. Over time the word broadened: today one can speak of someone evangelizing for open-source software, a fitness routine, or a political movement, meaning they champion it with infectious enthusiasm. This figurative use often implies a zealot-like devotion, which can be complimentary or faintly ironic depending on tone. The word derives from the Greek euangelion, meaning 'good news,' the same root that gives us 'gospel' and 'evangelist.' Whether describing missionaries abroad or passionate advocates at home, evangelizing captures the distinctive human impulse to share what one believes most deeply — and to try, sometimes relentlessly, to bring others around to it.
verb (present participle and gerund of evangelize)The act of spreading a religious message, especially the Christian gospel, with the aim of converting others; by extension, promoting any idea or belief enthusiastically in order to win others over.
- Spreading a religious message, especially the Christian gospel, with the intention of converting others.
- Promoting an idea, cause, product, or belief with zealous enthusiasm, as if it were a gospel.
"She spent her summer evangelizing in rural villages across the region."
"Missionaries spent decades evangelizing along the river settlements before churches were formally established."
"He has been evangelizing for plant-based diets ever since his health scare."
Before 'gospel' entered English, its Greek ancestor simply meant good news — so to be evangelizing literally means to go around delivering good news.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of evangelizing
Evangelizing comes from the verb evangelize, which English borrowed in the early modern period from ecclesiastical Latin evangelizare, itself derived from Greek euangelizesthai, meaning 'to bring or announce good news.' The Greek root combines eu- ('good') with angelos ('messenger'), the same source that yields 'angel.' Related words sharing this root include 'evangelist,' 'evangelism,' and 'evangelical,' while the native English doublet 'gospel' arose from Old English gōdspell, a literal translation of the same Greek term.
Related word forms
How evangelizing is actually used
Primarily formal or religious in register. In secular contexts, the word often carries a hint of zeal or persistence — sometimes admiring, sometimes gently mocking — suggesting someone promotes their cause like a true believer.
Easily confused with evangelizing
Evangelical is an adjective describing Protestant traditions that emphasize the gospel and conversion, while evangelizing refers to the act of actively spreading or preaching that message.