- [countable] an important official job that a person or group of people is given to do, especially when they are sent to another country
- She led a recent trade mission to China.
- Thomas More toured Antwerp on a diplomatic mission for the king.
- It was too late to launch a rescue mission.
- They undertook a fact-finding mission in the region.
- a mercy mission to aid homeless refugees
Extra Examples- The mission of the Centre is to provide professional educational support to teachers and students.
- An aid team will be sent on a mission to the earthquake zone.
- The US is sending a trade mission to China.
- Their mission ended in failure.
- a joint Anglo-American mission
- Do not return until you have accomplished your mission.
- It was a joint mission between France and Germany.
- He has been appointed to head a UN fact-finding mission in the region.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- joint
- covert
- secret
- …
- carry out
- conduct
- execute
- …
- end in failure
- fail
- be a success
- …
- objective
- accomplishment
- on a/the mission
- mission impossible
- [countable] a group of people doing such a job; the place where they work
- He is the head of the British mission in Berlin.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- diplomatic
- military
- trade
- …
- establish
- set up
- send
- …
- mission to
- [uncountable, countable] the work of teaching people about Christianity, especially in a foreign country; a group of people doing such work
- Gandhi’s attitude to mission and conversion
- a Catholic mission in Africa
- She took up a position as a school teacher at St Peter's mission in Montana.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- Christian
- educational
- establish
- found
- run
- …
- work
- hospital
- school
- …
- [countable] a building or group of buildings used by a Christian missionTopics Religion and festivalsc2Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
- Christian
- educational
- establish
- found
- run
- …
- work
- hospital
- school
- …
- [countable] particular work that you feel it is your duty to do synonym vocation
- Her mission in life was to work with homeless people.
- We are committed to the mission of helping students realize their full potential.
- You can tell by the determined way he talks that he is a man with a mission.
Extra Examples- One of the missions of academic institutions is to improve the quality of life of our citizens.
- He now has a mission in life: to expand the horizons of those around him.
- We will continue our mission to close the gap between customers' expectations and the reality.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- main
- primary
- stated
- …
- have
- pursue
- fulfil/fulfill
- …
- statement
- a man with a mission
- a woman with a mission
- a sense of mission
- …
- [countable] an important job that is done by a soldier, group of soldiers, etc.
- The squadron flew on a reconnaissance mission.
- The military are fulfilling an important peacekeeping mission.
Collocations War and peaceWar and peaceStarting a war- declare/make/wage war (on somebody/something)
- go to war (against/with somebody)
- cause/spark/provoke/foment/quell unrest
- incite/lead/crush/suppress a revolt/rebellion
- launch/mount/carry out a surprise/terrorist attack
- prevent/halt/represent an escalation of the conflict
- be torn apart by/be on the brink of civil war
- enter/invade/occupy somebody’s territory
- lead/launch/resist/repel an invasion
- adopt/develop/implement/pursue a military strategy
- carry out/execute/perform military operations/manoeuvres
- send/deploy/station/pull back/withdraw troops
- go on/fly/carry out a reconnaissance/rescue mission
- train/equip/deploy army/military/combat units
- lead/launch/conduct a raid/a surprise attack/an (air/airborne/amphibious) assault (on somebody)
- employ/use guerrilla tactics
- conduct/wage biological/guerrilla warfare
- fight/crush/defeat the rebels/the insurgency
- suffer/inflict a crushing defeat
- achieve/win a decisive victory
- halt/stop the British/German/Russian advance
- order/force a retreat
- join/serve in the army/navy/air force
- be/go/remain/serve on active duty
- serve/complete/return from a tour of duty
- be sent to the front (line)
- attack/strike/engage/defeat/kill/destroy the enemy
- see/report/be engaged in heavy fighting
- call for/be met with armed resistance
- come under heavy/machine-gun/mortar fire
- fire a machine-gun/mortar shells/rockets (at somebody/something)
- shoot a rifle/a pistol/bullets/missiles
- launch/fire a cruise/ballistic/anti-tank missile
- use biological/chemical/nuclear weapons
- inflict/suffer/sustain heavy losses/casualties
- be hit/killed by enemy/friendly/artillery fire
- become/be held as a prisoner of war
- harm/kill/target/protect innocent/unarmed civilians
- cause/avoid/limit/minimize civilian casualties/collateral damage
- impose/enforce/lift a curfew
- engage in/be a victim of ethnic cleansing
- be sent to an internment/a concentration camp
- accept/house/resettle refugees fleeing from war
- fear/threaten military/violent reprisals
- commit/be accused of war crimes/crimes against humanity/genocide
- make/bring/win/achieve/maintain/promote peace
- call for/negotiate/broker/declare a ceasefire/a temporary truce
- sign a ceasefire agreement
- call for/bring/put an end to hostilities
- demand/negotiate/accept the surrender of somebody/something
- establish/send (in) a peacekeeping force
- negotiate/conclude/ratify/sign/accept/reject/break/violate a peace treaty
Extra Examples- He was sent on a secret mission approved by the Pentagon.
- He flew a total of 41 missions over Britain.
- UN troops were sent on a mercy mission to the disaster site.
- The captain instructed them to abort the mission.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- joint
- covert
- secret
- …
- carry out
- conduct
- execute
- …
- end in failure
- fail
- be a success
- …
- objective
- accomplishment
- on a/the mission
- mission impossible
- [countable] a flight into space
- a US space mission
- He's been on several shuttle missions over the last decade.
Extra ExamplesTopics Spacec1- a successful spacecraft mission to Venus
- experiments conducted on a space mission
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- shuttle
- space
- spacecraft
- …
- go on
- make
- abort
- …
- control
- on a/the mission
- mission to
- [countable] (British English, informal) a task or journey that is very difficult and takes a long time to complete
- It's a mission to get there.
official job/group
teaching Christianity
your duty
of armed forces
space flight
task
Word Originmid 16th cent. (denoting the sending of the Holy Spirit into the world): from Latin missio(n-), from mittere ‘send’.
Idioms
See mission in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee mission in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishmission accomplished
- used when you have successfully completed what you have had to do
- Mission accomplished, we headed for home.
mission impossible
- a difficult or impossible task
- Many regard this task as mission impossible.
Check pronunciation:
mission