| Main Entry: | believer |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | person who has faith in something |
| Synonyms: | acceptor, adherent, apostle, canonist, convert, devotee, disciple, doctrinaire, dogmatist, follower, freak, orthodox, prophet, proselyte, religionist, religious person, supporter, upholder, zealot |
| Antonyms: | agnostic, atheist, disbeliever, non-believer |
| Main Entry: | convert |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | new believer |
| Synonyms: | catechumen, disciple, follower, neophyte, novice, novitiate, proselyte |
| Main Entry: | convert |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | change belief, especially regarding religion |
| Synonyms: | actuate, alter conviction, assimilate to, baptize, be born again, bend, bias, brainwash, bring, bring around, budge, cause to adopt, change into, change of heart, convince, create anew, impel, incline, lead, lead to believe, make over, move, persuade, proselyte, proselytize, redeem, reform, regenerate, save, see the light, sway, turn |
| Antonyms: | hold, remain |
| Main Entry: | disciple |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | believer, follower |
| Synonyms: | adherent, apostle, attendant, booster, buff, bug*, catechumen, cohort, convert, devotee, enthusiast, fan, fanatic, fiend, freak, groupie, hound, junkie, learner, nut*, partisan, proselyte, pupil, rooter, satellite, sectary, sectator, student, supporter, votary, witness, zealot |
| Antonyms: | god |
| Main Entry: | follower |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | person who believes or has great interest |
| Synonyms: | addict, adherent, admirer, advocate, apostle, attendant, backer, believer, bootlicker, buff, client, cohort, companion, convert, copycat, devotee, disciple, fan, fancier, freak*, habitué, hanger-on, helper, imitator, lackey, member, minion, parasite, participant, partisan, patron, promoter, proselyte, protégé, pupil, representative, satellite, sectary, servant, sidekick, stooge, supporter, sycophant, toady, vassal, votary, worshiper, zealot |
| Antonyms: | leader |
| Main Entry: | layperson |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | amateur person, not trained in religious or other profession |
| Synonyms: | believer, dilettante, follower, laic, member, neophyte, nonprofessional, novice, outsider, parishioner, proselyte, recruit, secular |
| Antonyms: | minister, ordained, priest, professional, reverend |
| Main Entry: | novice |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | person just learning something |
| Synonyms: | amateur, apprentice, beginner, colt, convert*, cub, first of May, fledgling, greenhorn, gremlin, know from nothing, learner, mark*, neophyte, new kid on the block, newcomer, novitiate, plebe, postulant, prentice, probationer, proselyte, punk*, pupil, recruit, rookie, starter, student, tenderfoot, trainee |
| Notes: | an amateur is someone who pursues a study or sport as a pastime; a novice is someone who is new to a field or activity |
| Antonyms: | expert, professional |
| Main Entry: | persuade |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | cause to believe; convince to do |
| Synonyms: | actuate, advise, affect, allure, argue into, assure, blandish, brainwash*, bring around, bring to senses, cajole, coax, convert, counsel, draw, enlist, entice, exhort, gain confidence of, get, impel, impress, incite, incline, induce, influence, inveigle, lead, lead to believe, lead to do, move, prevail upon, prompt, propagandize, proselyte, proselytize, reason, satisfy, seduce, sell, stroke, sway, talk into, touch, turn on to, urge, wear down, wheedle, win argument, win over, woo, work over |
| Antonyms: | discourage, dissuade, hinder, prevent, repress, stop, suppress |