as in attacks
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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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for martyrs
Verb
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The monkey’s genitals are burned with a candle, and it is placed in a cage with a mongoose, which attacks it.—
Kevin Grasha,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
1 Oct. 2025 -
But together a picture emerges of a long-standing movement eager to stop anyone who attacks a principle or personality its adherents hold dear.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Of course the road to desegregation was treacherous — and, yes, those (white) mothers put up massive, traumatic resistance to the equal education of Black students — but, ultimately, those sacrifices were worth it.—
Andrea Williams,
Nashville Tennessean,
27 Sep. 2025
-
After that came real sacrifices.—
Jane Ciabattari
September 25,
Literary Hub,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
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However, one of the reasons the Red Sox were 4-3 losers to the Yankees is that Cora can’t pull a lever that’ll ensure that his players — such as, oh, Ceddanne Rafaela — deliver a sacrifice bunt in a key situation.—
Steve Buckley,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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The losers will go back to their camps, votes intact, while the winner wins a little something-something.—
Nick Caruso,
TVLine,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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His voice already had that staticky, far-away quality that plagues international calls, which made Nakia fear he was gone for good.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Sep. 2025
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Everything that plagues Chicago also plagues America.—
Heidi Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Basenjis, the barkless dogs from Africa, are clever but view commands as suggestions, often acting mischievously.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Oct. 2025
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Holtz and other South Florida hospitals have long used therapy dogs to provide patients with emotional support, either by hiring handlers to bring in the furry companions or by having their own in-house therapy dogs to make more frequent rounds.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Liam Perino curses in front of his parents.—
Matthew Shen Goodman,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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As an example, Vance called out an essay in The Nation that assails Kirk’s views on women, homosexuality, and affirmative action.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Measles is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable disease caused by a virus that primarily and most severely afflicts children.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
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Although there have been recent breakthroughs in the treatment of Alzheimer’s, no medication has succeeded in stopping or reversing the disease that afflicts more than 7 million Americans, a number projected to reach almost 13 million by 2050, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 Aug. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Martyrs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/martyrs. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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