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

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

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

Investigators determined that a group of men had attacked him at his San Jose home and that one of them struck him in the face with the handle of a firearm, police said.

— Molly Gibbs, Mercury News, 21 July 2026
Refineries are maxed out, especially after Iran attacked 30 Middle Eastern refineries during the course of the war.

— David Goldman, CNN Money, 21 July 2026

Definition of attack

Noun

Thiel is a serious intellectual shaped by René Girard, his mentor at Stanford, whose mimetic theory of violence and sacrifice underpins much of how Thiel sees the world.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 18 July 2026
For some, evoking death and sacrifice was perplexing and distasteful; a step too far.

— Harry Booth, Time, 17 July 2026

Definition of sacrifice

Verb

Where the film diverts from the norm lies in the unique, complicated characters and their weird, tortured even touching relationships.

— Randy Myers, Mercury News, 16 July 2026
Along these routes, the bulldozers piled up mounds to enclose fortified compounds, military outposts and detention facilities where Palestinians were interrogated and tortured.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026

Definition of torture

Noun

Whoever wins this match will receive $29 million in prize money, compared to $27 million awarded to the loser.

— Ben Church, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
Whoever comes out on top in the backup quarterback battle will obviously be safe on the roster, but there are a couple of possibilities for the loser in that competition.

— Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026

Definition of loser

Verb

Vava, Brazil vs Sweden, 1958 (second goal) Garrincha torments Sweden left-back Sven Axbom — not for the first time — and Vava is on hand to complete a carbon copy of his first goal.

— Adam Hurrey, New York Times, 17 July 2026
Their absence clearly tormented him, but his total dependence on Sara seemed to embarrass him, too.

— Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 13 July 2026

Definition of torment

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

Also on Wednesday, Blume returned a Pablo Picasso bust, Fernande/Beatrice (1905), to the descendants of German-Jewish dealer Alfred Flechtheim, who was persecuted by the Reich, reports TAN.

— Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 16 July 2026
Mahmoud Khalil alleges private groups, including the conservative Heritage Foundation, and public leaders conspired to persecute him.

— Susan Svrluga, Washington Post, 14 July 2026

Definition of persecute

Verb

Entering Friday’s contest, Clark was supposed to be on a minutes restriction due to a back injury that has plagued her all season.

— James Boyd, New York Times, 18 July 2026
But controversies are plaguing the league, Clark has become an unwilling symbol of racial polarization and GOP members of Congress are entering the fray.

— Joel Mathis, TheWeek, 17 July 2026

Definition of plague

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Style

“Martyr.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/martyr. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of martyr

verb

noun

Example Sentences

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