1
as in to plague
to cause persistent suffering to
people who were persecuted simply for practicing their religious faith
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to annoy
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
she likes to persecute her sister with pointless, annoying questions at very inopportune times
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of persecute
An immigration judge has previously found that she would be persecuted by the Israeli government if she was removed there.
—
Kristie Keleshian, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026
Some had been granted the opportunity to stay after proving to immigration judges that they would probably be persecuted if returned to their homeland.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2026
Such dynamics reflect that there is little room in this framework for the complexity of Jewish history, people who have been both persecuted and resilient.
—Arie Perliger, The Conversation, 18 Mar. 2026
In the wake of 9/11, anti-immigrant sentiments were on the rise, LGBTQ+ minorities were being persecuted, and new technological advancements threatened to wreak havoc on the world.
—Matthew Huff, IndieWire, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for persecute
Kristie Keleshian, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026
Some had been granted the opportunity to stay after proving to immigration judges that they would probably be persecuted if returned to their homeland.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2026
Such dynamics reflect that there is little room in this framework for the complexity of Jewish history, people who have been both persecuted and resilient.
—Arie Perliger, The Conversation, 18 Mar. 2026
In the wake of 9/11, anti-immigrant sentiments were on the rise, LGBTQ+ minorities were being persecuted, and new technological advancements threatened to wreak havoc on the world.
—Matthew Huff, IndieWire, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for persecute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persecute
Verb
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Meanwhile, some good news is in the forecast for the drought- and heat-plagued West, as a cool, wet and even snowy pattern is forecast to bring some relief that's desperately needed across the region.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
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While the company ultimately plans to build a 104-station tunnel network beneath Las Vegas, the project has also been plagued by safety issues, accidents, and scandals.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The platform’s staff has seemed minorly annoyed at the shots Denk and others at Beehiiv have taken as Substack has moved from disruptor to incumbent.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
30 Mar. 2026
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One who grew up respectful but annoyed by the success the league previously had in Seattle.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And Chee seems to have finally turned a corner regarding the ghost sickness afflicting him both physically and emotionally.—
Lisa de los Reyes,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Mar. 2026
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Moody’s injury is one of the most severe of a series that has afflicted the Warriors this season, who also saw Jimmy Butler go down with a season-ending ACL tear in January.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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At Brookhurst and Magnolia streets, construction was stopped so nearby birds that were nesting weren’t bothered.—
Jim Radcliffe,
Oc Register,
27 Mar. 2026
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Throughout the day, jot down any worries that are bothering you, particularly the ones that keep popping up.—
Andee Tagle,
NPR,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Court records show that Gabriel was tortured by starvation, shot by BB guns, and forced to eat cat litter, cat feces and his own vomit.—
Rick Montanez,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
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His Venice entry triggered multiple walkouts in Sonoma, though, especially during a scene featuring the always solid Oscar Isaac getting tortured.—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Even minimal exposure to artificial lights irritated his burns, and recovery took months.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
26 Mar. 2026
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Many people have come out of the woodwork and jumped on the bandwagon, which irritated me.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Early on, the Biden team had been besieged with desperate pleas to ship more of the then scarce vaccine.—
David Blumenthal,
STAT,
24 Mar. 2026
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When news circulated about the gathering, Temple Emanu-El was besieged with inquiries from the local media.—
Joshua M. Davidson,
New York Daily News,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Chandler Zavala has been fighting the injury bug his whole career.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 2026
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The cost of it, however, is boots and bug repellent.—
Amy Drew Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Persecute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecute. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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