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
Farah N. Jan, The Conversation, 2 Mar. 2026
Khamenei, an ailing octogenarian, frequently spoke of his willingness to be martyred, and regime officials have claimed that Israel already tried to target them last summer, when Israel and Iran traded strikes in what would become known as the Twelve-Day War.
—Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026
Beth Bailey, FOXNews.com, 22 Mar. 2026
The present attacks in Iran will likely make Ali Khamenei a martyr and only solidify the resistance to freedom and democracy.
—Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for martyr
Verb
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
Khamenei, an ailing octogenarian, frequently spoke of his willingness to be martyred, and regime officials have claimed that Israel already tried to target them last summer, when Israel and Iran traded strikes in what would become known as the Twelve-Day War.
—Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026
Noun
The most serious revelation from the martyr list is Fadi al-Wadiyya, a physiotherapist for Médecins sans frontières, who was killed by Israel Defense Forces in June 2024.
—Beth Bailey, FOXNews.com, 22 Mar. 2026
The present attacks in Iran will likely make Ali Khamenei a martyr and only solidify the resistance to freedom and democracy.
—Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for martyr
Recent Examples of Synonyms for martyr
Verb
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In fact, the Sixers will be better equipped to attack this Knicks flaw if Embiid can return at any point in the series.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
7 May 2026
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In one of the evening’s most striking moments, Raman accused Bass and Pratt of working together to attack her.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Noun
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Torres laid down a perfect sacrifice dribbler, job done.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 May 2026
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Through skill, sacrifice and professionalism, our first responders have narrowly avoided major disasters, including the recent high-rise fire in Towson that could have ended far worse without rapid response and coordination on scene.—
Nick Stewart,
Baltimore Sun,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Her sisters were also imprisoned and tortured.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
10 May 2026
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One who is both fascinated and tortured by the brilliance of another.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
8 May 2026
Noun
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The other guys are on their feet, trying to break it up, someone is calling someone else a loser, there are swings and kicks and insults, men grabbing at other men, trying to restrain them and busting the restraints.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
6 May 2026
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With the draft completed and free agent signings winding down, here’s a look at the biggest winners and losers from the Raiders’ offseason.—
Sam Warren,
New York Times,
6 May 2026
Verb
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Inside are museum spaces that tell the story of Obama’s Presidency, grounded in the country’s tormented racial history.—
Peter Slevin,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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In 1976, the Legislature turned the California Coastal Commission into a permanent agency that has tormented property owners and localities ever since.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Robert Penn Warren’s 1946 novel is the story of the rise and fall of a Southern populist, the Louisiana governor Willie Stark—a fictional Huey Long (even if Warren downplayed the likeness)—as told by Stark’s wisecracking, anguished, Hamlet-y henchman, Jack Burden.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
12 May 2026
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Hong Kong is an anguishing example.—
Michelle Kuo,
The Dial,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Other human rights lawyers have been recently prosecuted in Russia, including Maria Bontsler, a prominent lawyer who defended individuals persecuted by politically motivated charges.—
Irwin Cotler,
Time,
8 May 2026
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Individuals with Jewish heritage through their father or a grandparent sometimes identified as Jewish or were persecuted for their Jewish heritage, as was the case under the Nazi regime.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Anti-gang units, officials say, form the backbone of the department’s crime fighting efforts in neighborhoods plagued by gang violence.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
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Orlando trailed Miami 3-0 early, plagued by the same defensive lapses that have defined its season so far.—
Kyle Foley,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Martyr.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/martyr. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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