persecution

noun

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per·se·cu·tion | \ ˌpər-si-ˈkyü-shən

Definition of persecution

1 : the act or practice of persecuting especially those who differ in origin, religion, or social outlook

2 : the condition of being persecuted, harassed, or annoyed

Examples of persecution in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Winner of the coveted Hugo Award, The Man in the High Castle imagines a world where the United States lost World War II and persecution and slavery persist under Imperial Japanese and Nazi rule. — Robert English, EW.com, 17 Sep. 2022 Tossing barbs at religious persecution and bigotry. — David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 July 2022 Jews in the South had also felt the sting of discrimination, persecution and attacks from the Ku Klux Klan. — al, 16 July 2022 In Florida: Trump, who was in New York when agents descended on Mar-a-Lago, has blasted federal officials, claiming the search is the latest example of his ongoing political persecution. — Laura L. Davis, USA TODAY, 10 Aug. 2022 Because of laws in effect at that time, qualifying children of American descent were allowed to emigrate to America, allowing her family to escape persecution in Vietnam. — The Salt Lake Tribune, 23 Aug. 2022 Event moderator Henry Reese, 73, a co-founder of an organization that offers residencies to writers facing persecution, was also attacked. — CBS News, 13 Aug. 2022 Event moderator Henry Reese, 73, a co-founder of an organization that offers residencies to writers facing persecution, was also attacked. — Joshua Goodman, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2022 The Gnostics actually hid there to avoid facing persecution from other Christians for their beliefs. — Owen Myers, EW.com, 30 June 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'persecution.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries Near persecution

persecutingly

persecution

persecutional

Statistics for persecution

Last Updated

27 Sep 2022

Cite this Entry

“Persecution.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/persecution. Accessed 28 Sep. 2022.

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More Definitions for persecution

persecution

noun

per·se·cu·tion | \ ˌpər-si-ˈkyü-shən

Kids Definition of persecution

1 : the act of continually treating in a cruel and harmful way

2 : the state of being continually treated in a cruel and harmful way

persecution

noun

per·se·cu·tion

Legal Definition of persecution

: punishment or harassment usually of a severe nature on the basis of race, religion, or political opinion in one's country of origin claimed persecution and sought asylum