MARTYR Synonyms: 109 Similar and Opposite Words

martyr 1 of 2

verb

Definition of martyr

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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martyr

2 of 2

noun

as in sacrifice

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of martyr

Verb

Porter need not be martyred like Good and Pretti. — Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 7 Mar. 2026 Iran, with its sophisticated military, near-nuclear capability, proxy networks spanning the region and a regime now martyred by foreign attack, will likely not be the exception. — Farah N. Jan, The Conversation, 2 Mar. 2026

Noun

This vessel has a controversial past, built by Nazi Germany in 1935 as SSS *Horst Wessel*, named after a Nazi martyr, before being taken as war reparations by the US. — Peter Suciu, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 But the bans only enhanced his fame, with conservative pundits hailing him as a free-speech martyr. — Heidi Blake, New Yorker, 8 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for martyr

Recent Examples of Synonyms for martyr

Verb

Another warehouse belonging to the Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries was also attacked to the east of Moscow, Vorobyov said, with a fire breaking out at the facility.

— David Brennan, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
Crossing threat Undoubtedly, Coventry’s best attacking moments come from wide positions.

— Liam Tharme, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of attack

Noun

For Arsenal, the mission to create their best possible squad for depth and quality requires some upgrades in certain areas, and Berta won’t mind being ruthless if a sacrifice here leads to a new crowning there.

— Kaya Kaynak, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
The most common ritual practice is the giving of offerings to deities, although—in contrast to the ancient druids—the sacrifice of animals (or humans) is not practiced in modern Druidry.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of sacrifice

Verb

Arabella’s adoptive mother, Leticia McCormack, and her parents, Adella and Stanley Tom, were arrested three months later and accused of torturing the young girl to death.

— Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026
During his tenure, more than a dozen teenagers who scrawled anti-government graffiti on a school wall in Daraa were arrested and tortured.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of torture

Verb

Stylistically, this encyclopedic catch-all of genres readily segues from sermons and soliloquies to thrilling action sequences and anguished cris de coeur.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
His effort to have (ahem) his cake and eat it too regarding Iran — acting reportedly anguished behind closed doors but publicly supportive of the administration — speaks to a level of calculation that makes people uncomfortable.

— Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 23 June 2026

Definition of anguish

Verb

Although the two programs similarly target humanitarian concerns, being a TPS holder does not guarantee asylum, which requires that applicants prove they’ve been persecuted on specific grounds.

— Cameron Pugh, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Aug. 2026
In The Bacchae, Dionysus becomes violent only because his existence has been denied and his followers persecuted, and his maenads similarly become destructive only when pursued.

— Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 31 July 2026

Definition of persecute

Verb

Airlines around the world are currently plagued by delays in their efforts to deliver new premium offerings — including increasing passenger demand for privacy, high-tech connectivity and inflight entertainment — to meet the surge in air travel.

— Edward Russell, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
Klubnik will need to limit the turnovers that plagued him at Clemson during his final season.

— Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of plague

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Style

“Martyr.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/martyr. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of martyr

verb

noun

Example Sentences

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