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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for martyrs
Verb
-
Hantavirus is a rare but deadly disease that attacks the lungs and is typically contracted by humans through inhalation of particles contaminated with the urine, feces or saliva of a wild rodent.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026 -
Sebastian Gorka, the senior director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council, said an immediate example would be for other countries to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran attacks commercial shipping.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
Ella Baker, Septima Clark, these are extraordinary women who today the Supreme Court has dishonored their legacy and their sacrifices.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
10 May 2026
-
Victory Day celebrations mark WWII sacrifices Putin has used Victory Day celebrations to encourage national pride and underline Russia's position as a global power.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
The retrospection tortures her.—
Alexandra Rockey Fleming,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Later, in one of the movie's most satisfying scenes, Millie locks Andrew in the attic and tortures him by loudly smashing each plate.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Remember though, like with most Wall Street history, there will be winners and there will be losers.—
Brian Sullivan,
CNBC,
13 May 2026
-
There will be both winners and losers when the dust settles.—
Phillip Molnar,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Alexa Bliss, Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley after Jade Cargill torments Ripley.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
-
Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Phil, a spiteful rancher who torments his brother's (Jesse Plemons) new wife (Kirsten Dunst) and her sensitive teenage son, Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee), against the backdrop of 1920s Montana.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
China, which jails human rights activists in Hong Kong, persecutes Uyghurs, has killed hundreds of thousands of Tibetans and has committed genocide against the Falun Gong, is on the UN Human Rights Council.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
In Russia, the civilian repressive apparatus persecutes the military, which leaps at every chance for revenge.—
Stephen Kotkin,
Foreign Affairs,
16 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
And as a fight over the reauthorization of a key national security surveillance law plagues the lower chamber, moving forward with the DHS funding hasn't appeared to be a top priority.—
Kaia Hubbard,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The reclined riding position spreads body weight evenly, eliminating the back, neck, and wrist strain that plagues conventional cycling.—
Omar Kardoudi
April 20,
New Atlas,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Cadaver dogs that previously searched the family's home did indicate dirt in the family's backyard had the scent of human remains.—
Matthew Ablon,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
-
Naomi’s acoustic guitar kept feeding back, causing our stage to spew out the kinds of screeching frequencies that dogs famously hate.—
Katie Gavin,
Time,
8 May 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Martyrs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/martyrs. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
