1
a
: a specific task with which a person or a group is charged
Their mission was to help victims of the disaster.
b(1)
: a definite military, naval, or aerospace task
a bombing mission
a space mission
(2)
: a flight operation of an aircraft or spacecraft in the performance of a mission
a mission to Mars
c
: a preestablished and often self-imposed objective or purpose
statement of the company's mission
3
: a body of persons sent to perform a service or carry on an activity: such as
a
: a group sent to a foreign country to conduct diplomatic or political negotiations
a member of a trade mission
c
: a team of specialists or cultural leaders sent to a foreign country
served on a mission to improve agricultural methods
4
a
: a ministry commissioned by a religious organization to propagate (see propagate sense 3b) its faith or carry on humanitarian work
… there was a little port called Quinchang, where the fathers of the mission usually landed from Macao, on their progress to teach the Christian religion to the Chinese …—
Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe
b
: assignment to or work in a field of missionary enterprise
c(1)
: a mission establishment
(2)
: a local church or parish dependent on a larger religious organization for direction or financial support
Spanish missions in California
d
missions plural
: organized missionary work
e
: a course of sermons and services given to convert the unchurched or quicken Christian faith
a preaching mission
5
obsolete
: the act or an instance of sending
missioned; missioning
ˈmi-sh(ə-)niŋ 
1
: to send on or entrust with a mission
2
: to carry on a religious mission among or in
1
: of or relating to a style used in the early Spanish missions of the southwestern U.S.
mission architecture
2
: of, relating to, or having the characteristic of a style of plain heavy usually oak furniture originating in the U.S. in the early part of the 20th century
Synonyms
Examples of mission in a Sentence
Noun
Our mission was to recover the stolen plans.
By patient negotiation she succeeded in her mission of averting a strike.
a mission to the moon
a member of a trade mission
Recent Examples on the Web
Barbara D. Hathaway, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
President-Elect Donald Trump tapped as his top education leader a wrestling entertainment executive whose mission is to eliminate her own job.
—Christopher R. Marsicano, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
The team may not return to the area to search farther until 2026, due to other missions, Romeo said.
—Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 21 Nov. 2024
The new project fits into the village's mission to increase its park usage, introduce new community-building activities to residents and allow folks access to recreation year-round, Village Manager Tyler Burkart said in a statement on Nov. 21.
—Claudia Levens, Journal Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for mission 
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Noun
All of this is part of our mission to promote lifelong learning and foster a sense of community.
—Barbara D. Hathaway, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
President-Elect Donald Trump tapped as his top education leader a wrestling entertainment executive whose mission is to eliminate her own job.
—Christopher R. Marsicano, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
The team may not return to the area to search farther until 2026, due to other missions, Romeo said.
—Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 21 Nov. 2024
The new project fits into the village's mission to increase its park usage, introduce new community-building activities to residents and allow folks access to recreation year-round, Village Manager Tyler Burkart said in a statement on Nov. 21.
—Claudia Levens, Journal Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for mission
Dictionary Entries Near mission
Cite this Entry
“Mission.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mission. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationGeographical Definition
Mission
geographical name
Mis·sion
ˈmi-shən
1
city near the Rio Grande in southern Texas population 77,058
2
municipality on the Fraser River in southwestern British Columbia, Canada population 36,426
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