martyrdom

noun

mar·​tyr·​dom ˈmär-tər-dəm 

1

: the suffering of death on account of adherence to a cause and especially to one's religious faith

… defended moral truth even to the point of enduring martyrdom …

—Andrew Sullivan

2

: affliction, torture

Examples of martyrdom in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The tradition will now pass to his own son, who now also takes part in commemorating the martyrdom of Hussein through the mausoleum replicas. — ABC News, 25 June 2026

Stewart has been clear that the goal is not martyrdom in the kitchen. — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 June 2026

Several Death Match players were later arrested, imprisoned, and killed, though not in the immediate act of public martyrdom that later retellings of their ordeal sometimes suggest. — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 19 June 2026

Was Pelley going for martyrdom or just angry? — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

martyrdom

noun

mar·​tyr·​dom ˈmärt-ərd-əm 

1

: the sufferings and death of a martyr

2

: torment entry 1 sense 1