Definition of martyrdom
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
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Recent Examples of martyrdom from the Web
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Its opposite, meanwhile — the quotidian physical martyrdom that was the lot of the working class — was at least given its due as a creditable human quality.
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The writers’ ideas thrown out in two days at the conference are implausible: material that becomes armor when struck by a bullet; an antibiotic that cures martyrdom; a satellite that beams solar energy to earth.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'martyrdom'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Before 12th Century
First Known Use of martyrdom
before 12th century
Other Christian Religious Terms
MARTYRDOM Defined for English Language Learners
martyrdom
playDefinition of martyrdom for English Language Learners
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: the suffering and death of a martyr
Learn More about martyrdom
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Spanish Central: Translation of martyrdom Nglish: Translation of martyrdom for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of martyrdom for Arabic speakers
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