as in attacking
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 martyring
Talking about potential attacks, martyring themselves for ISIS.
—
David J. Lopez, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
David J. Lopez, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for martyring
Verb
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Both sides accuse the other of intentionally attacking civilian targets.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
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So when attacking midfielder Nick Moon carried the ball down the left wing in the eighth minute, AC Boise bodies began rushing into the box.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Apparently, their definition of resistance is to gang rape as many women and men of all ages as possible before torturing, mutilating and murdering them.—
Bobby Zirkin,
Baltimore Sun,
14 May 2026
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His 39 points on 13-of-18 shooting in Game 3, including 16 in the fourth, evoked images of Hakeem Olajuwon torturing post defenders.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
Verb
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Saddam towered over Iraq’s political regime for nearly 30 years, plunging the country into multiple destructive wars, persecuting his own citizens and inflicting widespread trauma and suffering.—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
24 Apr. 2026
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The order also accused the Cuban government of persecuting political opponents, suppressing free speech and the press, and committing other human rights violations—actions that have been documented by human rights organizations over the years.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But the man hung himself, most likely due to Duncan tormenting him relentlessly like a jock pranking a nerd in an ‘80s campus comedy.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
12 Apr. 2026
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With the help of journalist Gerrick Kennedy, the memoir details Brandy's meteoric rise to fame as a young teen while volleying ambition, exhaustion and self-doubt, moving through a predatory and tormenting industry and being misunderstood in the public eye.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, Ukraine has been assailing oil terminals and refineries deep inside Russia with long-range drones and missiles, aiming to disrupt Moscow’s economy.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
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Trump has singled out Moore for criticism, blaming him for a Potomac sewage spill, assailing his handing of Baltimore's bridge collapse and invoking a controversy over his military record.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Cholera, a waterborne bacterial disease, has unleashed a perilous wave across southern Africa, with active outbreaks currently afflicting five countries in southern and central Africa.—
John Drake,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
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Never mind the economic turbulence afflicting the country and the world, driven most recently by rising gas prices because of the war in Iran.—
Stephen Hudak,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 May 2026
Verb
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Israel tried to take over Gaza City before in this war, besieging it and launching raids in its streets, but tens of thousands of people remained.—
Aya Batrawy,
NPR,
5 Sep. 2025
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And while politicians know that there are costs to besieging an independent central bank – financial markets may react negatively or inflation may flare up – short-term control of a powerful policy tool can prove irresistible.—
Ana Carolina Garriga,
The Conversation,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The 66-year-old actress visited the NBC morning show to promote her new Lifetime movie, Love, Again, and ended up accidentally cursing twice live on air.—
Rachel McRady,
PEOPLE,
7 May 2026
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That looks like a straight between the subscribers and young Wilfred, who was left cursing his beloved Palace for conceding that stoppage-time goal at Anfield, denying him a precious four-pointer.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Martyring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/martyring. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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