mission
Pluralmissions
Pluralmissions
Formsmissions, missioning, missioned
- 1A task or set of tasks you take on to reach an important goal.
Like a to-do list someone gives you, with one big goal at the end.
Her mission was to deliver the package before noon.
We finished the mission ahead of schedule and went home early.
UsageSay on a mission and a mission to do something.
Similartask, assignment, job
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- 2An important goal that a person feels they must work for, or that a group is set up to reach.
Helping lost dogs find a home is her mission.
The school's mission is to help every child learn to read.
UsageSay our mission is to help; for a person, my mission in life.
Similarpurpose, calling, vocation, aim, goal
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- 3A planned job with a clear goal, often done by soldiers, pilots, or a spaceship.
The soldiers came back safely from their mission.
The astronauts trained for two years before the mission to the space station.
UsagePilots fly missions; a spacecraft goes on a mission to a place, like Mars.
Similaroperation, sortie, flight, expedition
- 4A group of people sent somewhere to carry out a job for a government or organization.
Like a team your country sends to talk and work things out with another country.
The trade mission met with business leaders from three countries.
A peace mission arrived to help end the fighting.
UsageSay a mission to a place: a trade mission to Japan.
Similardelegation, embassy, legation, deputation, commission
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- 5A building or settlement used as a base for work to spread a religion.
The old Spanish mission still stands near the river.
They restored the mission's chapel and bell tower last summer.
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- 6A trip made to spread a religion, often in faraway places.
The church organized a mission to a remote mountain village.
He joined a mission to build schools and share his faith abroad.
UsageSay on a mission. The person who goes is a missionary.
- 7Charities that help people in poorer countries, especially ones that also teach their religion.
Every Christmas, our church collects money for the missions.
Grandma always gave something to the missions, which ran schools and clinics far away.
UsageUsually the missions: give money to the missions.
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- 8
Less common meanings
- 9A city charity, often run by a church, that gives food, beds, and other help to homeless or poor people.
The mission gives out free hot meals every evening.
He slept at the downtown mission when he had nowhere else to go.
UsageOften called a rescue mission, or part of a place's name.
Similarshelter
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- 10
- 11To teach people about a religion and try to persuade them to follow it.
Long ago, monks missioned in these hills, preaching from farm to farm.
The young priest wanted to mission among the poor.
Similarevangelize, proselytize, preach
- 12A few days of special church services and talks, often led by visiting preachers, to make people's faith stronger.
Like a special week of church events all built around one idea.
The parish held a week-long mission focused on forgiveness.
Many families attended the mission at the cathedral that spring.
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- 13In Australia, a settlement where most residents are Indigenous Australians, often living in government housing.
In outback Australia, many Aboriginal families still live on the mission.
My Aboriginal cousins live on the mission in government houses.
UsageSay people live on the mission.
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- 14The act of dismissing someone or letting them go from a job or service.
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- 15A trip made to buy or deliver illegal drugs.
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Origin
A learned borrowing from Latin missiō, meaning a sending or sending away.
Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 1 fact
- English mission is a learned borrowing from Latin missiō, meaning a sending or sending away. en.wiktionary.org