as in to attack
to kill (someone) for refusing to give up a belief or cause
—usually used as (be) martyred
He was martyred for his religious beliefs.
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Recent Examples of martyr
Ronald J. Hansen, AZCentral.com, 22 Sep. 2025
The conservative political activist who was murdered earlier this month was repeatedly described as a martyr whose movement would live on.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2025
Sweta Kaushal, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
According to tradition, Peter traveled to Rome to spread the Christian message and was martyred there during the reign of the Emperor Nero, around 64 A.D., as Christians were being persecuted.
—Vanessa Gera, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for martyr
Verb
The president called Kirk a martyr for free speech and said the gunshot that killed him was an attack on the nation.
—Ronald J. Hansen, AZCentral.com, 22 Sep. 2025
The conservative political activist who was murdered earlier this month was repeatedly described as a martyr whose movement would live on.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2025
Noun
His grandfather was martyred in the 1971 war, the former spy reveals.
—Sweta Kaushal, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
According to tradition, Peter traveled to Rome to spread the Christian message and was martyred there during the reign of the Emperor Nero, around 64 A.D., as Christians were being persecuted.
—Vanessa Gera, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for martyr
Recent Examples of Synonyms for martyr
Verb
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In the game, Elliott operated as the right ‘No 10’ (attacking midfielder), passing neatly and playing well in a first half that only offered promise in spurts.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
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All patients were treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors, a type of immunotherapy drugs that help the immune system recognize and attack tumor cells more effectively.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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They were forced to offer their daughter as a sacrifice to Cetus to keep their entire kingdom from being ravaged by the sea monster.—
Mike Lynch,
Twin Cities,
19 Oct. 2025
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Turning her yard into a parking lot for six or seven Saturdays a year means Giordani has to make sacrifices.—
Austin Meek,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Donnelly, meanwhile, recalled on the witness stand how he was repeatedly drowned, tortured and raped by Gacy, per court documents.—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
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To the thousands of Syrians who lost loved ones, or were tortured, imprisoned or displaced by the Assad regime, their homeland had become a crime scene from which the top suspects disappeared en masse.—
Danny Makki,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The Wanderers, three-time A-League Grand Final losers but AFC Champions League winners in 2014, are still smarting after being knocked out of last season’s Finals series by eventual finalists Melbourne Victory.—
Jack Bantock,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
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As the former Pentagon Papers whistleblower relates, all of us will be losers; sobering words that remain a catalyst for change.—
Randy McMullen,
Mercury News,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The loss continues to torment Amelia, and 6-year-old Samuel (Noah Wiseman) turns to a children's pop-up book, Mister Babadook, for macabre comfort.—
Steven Thrash,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Oct. 2025
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The trio, paired with the Kookaburra ball introduced in 2020, have tormented visiting batters.—
Sukhman Singh,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Diddy’s anguished plea for mercy.—
Daniel Arkin,
NBC news,
3 Oct. 2025
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But instead of preparing for this moment – the birth of her fifth child – she's anguished about her husband Miguel Angel Garcia-Hernandez.—
Sergio Martínez-Beltrán,
NPR,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In Nazi Germany, transgender people were persecuted, barred from public life.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
15 Oct. 2025
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Blasphemy accusations have been used repeatedly to persecute Christians and other religious minorities in the country.—
Sean Nelson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The extravaganza was the first in years to enjoy the viewership on both TV and streaming that people come to expect of the event after a fallow period during which NBC was plagued by Asia time-slot challenges and the coronavirus pandemic, among other factors.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
20 Oct. 2025
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When an unexpected event takes him back to his hometown, he is reunited with his mother and old friends but also confronted by the corruption that plagues his country, sparking a political awakening.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Martyr.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/martyr. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
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