as in persecuted
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 martyred
She was martyred and mortified and endured and rose again in the eyes of the people.
—
Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026
So did the entire first generation of Christians, many of whom were martyred.
—Case Thorp, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2026
One of our colleagues has been martyred.
—CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
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
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
And martyred, really, martyred for his beliefs.
—Dallas Morning News, 25 Feb. 2026
So last year, Charlie was violently murdered by an assassin and martyred, really martyred for his beliefs.
—Time Staff, Time, 25 Feb. 2026
Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026
So did the entire first generation of Christians, many of whom were martyred.
—Case Thorp, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2026
One of our colleagues has been martyred.
—CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
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
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
And martyred, really, martyred for his beliefs.
—Dallas Morning News, 25 Feb. 2026
So last year, Charlie was violently murdered by an assassin and martyred, really martyred for his beliefs.
—Time Staff, Time, 25 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for martyred
Verb
-
Family members and friends were persecuted, arrested, and killed.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
4 June 2026
-
During and shortly after the Spanish Civil War, Franco’s regime, too, persecuted Esperantists for the language’s association with anti–nationalism and anarchism.—
Katie Thornton,
Harpers Magazine,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
The Togolese activist began organizing as a teenager after her father was arrested and tortured, and later helped lead protests against a dictatorship that responded with arrests, exile, intimidation and internet shutdowns.—
Susie Violet Ward,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2026
-
Armand tortured and planned to drain Daniel, but Louis stepped in to save him.—
Tiffany Kelly,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
The two sisters entered the restaurant, ran behind the counter and attacked the 23-year-old employee after they were given a wrong order, prosecutors said, according to the outlet.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
15 June 2026
-
Hundreds of people have been killed in fighting between the two countries since February, when Afghanistan attacked Pakistan in retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghanistan.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
The westward-looking Façade of the Passion is stark, its figures tormented, their bodies strained in angular poses.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 June 2026
-
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
Verb
-
Lander has assailed Goldman for accepting AIPAC’s endorsement and for voting to send military aid to Israel, which Lander has vowed to oppose.—
Russell Berman,
The Atlantic,
7 June 2026
-
The former increases excitability and preparedness for movement in response to the tennis equivalent of being assailed by a woolly mammoth.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Raspberries are also afflicted with several viruses that can cause plants to decline and ruin the fruit.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
3 June 2026
-
Identifying Black Spot Roses can be afflicted by several common plant diseases.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
In place of the ancient forest was a shorn land besieged by uncontrollable wildfires, prone to land-slides and erosion.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
-
Founded by the ancient Phoenicians, Tyre has been besieged numerous times, from Alexander the Great to the Crusaders.—
Corky Siemaszko,
NBC news,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
The mayor of a New England island town trying to boost tourism must contend with the fact that it’s cursed.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
12 June 2026
-
The clerk also alleged Ross failed to properly supervise her clerks and on one occasion, yelled and cursed at staff.—
CBS News Atlanta Digital Team,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Martyred.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/martyred. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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