Mission is a noun with a few related but distinct meanings. It can refer to a group of delegatespeople chosen to represent others at a meeting or conference, a religiousconnected with faith, worship, or a church work or station, a militaryconnected with soldiers, armies, or war operation, or a special task assigned to someone.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Pronunciation

AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).

Accent: General American English

IPA: /ˈmɪʃən/

Easy pronunciation: MISH-uhn (approximate spelling).

Stress: Stress the first syllable.

Use this for the noun meaning a special assignment or task given to a person or group.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Mission Meaning

a task or job someone is sent to do

Part of speech: noun

Definition: a special assignment that is given to a person or group

Example: She was sent on a mission to negotiate the deal.

Synonyms for this meaning:

• commission — A strongly fitting synonym when mission means an assigned task.
• charge — Works when mission means a specific duty or assignment.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Other Meanings of Mission

Meaning 2

a group of people sent to represent an organization or country

Part of speech: noun

Definition: a group of representatives or delegates

Example: The trade mission met with local business leaders.

Synonyms for this meaning:

• delegation — A clear synonym for a representative group.
• deputation — A formal group sent to represent others.
• delegacy — An older or less common word for a body of delegates.
• commission — Can work in some formal contexts, but it is less direct than delegation.

Meaning 3

a religious group working in another country

Part of speech: noun

Definition: an organization of missionaries in a foreign land sent to carry on religious work

Example: The mission has run a school there for decades.

Synonyms for this meaning:

• foreign mission — Directly matches this sense.
• missionary post — A place or position for missionary work.
• missionary station — A place where missionaries work.

Meaning 4

religious work done by missionaries

Part of speech: noun

Definition: the organized work of a religious missionary

Example: She devoted her life to mission in rural communities.

Synonyms for this meaning:

• missionary work — Direct synonym for this sense.

Meaning 5

a military operation or task

Part of speech: noun

Definition: an operation that is assigned by a higher headquarters

Example: The aircraft returned after a night mission.

Synonyms for this meaning:

• military mission — Direct match when mission means a military operation.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Mission Synonyms

Similar Meaning

• commission
• charge

a group of representatives or delegates

• delegation
• deputation
• delegacy
• commission

an organization of missionaries in a foreign land sent to carry on religious work

• foreign mission
• missionary post
• missionary station

the organized work of a religious missionary

• missionary work

an operation that is assigned by a higher headquarters

• military mission

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Common Mistakes

• Do not use mission to mean a personal goal in this entry; that is a different modern sense not covered by the supplied data.
• Do not mix up mission as a religious organization with mission as missionary work; they are related but not the same sense.
• Commission can fit more than one sense, but it should not be treated as a synonym for every meaning of mission.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common meaning of mission?

In everyday use, mission most often means a task or assignment someone is sent to carry out.

What are good synonyms for mission?

For the main task/assignment sense, good synonyms are commission and charge. For other senses, words like delegation, foreign mission, or missionary work may fit depending on the meaning.

Is mission always about religion?

No. Mission can refer to religious work, but it can also mean a delegation, a military operation, or an assigned task.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.