MARTYRS Synonyms: 110 Similar and Opposite Words

martyrs 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of martyr

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

martyrs

2 of 2

noun

plural of martyr

as in sacrifices

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for martyrs

Verb

Meanwhile, donning night-vision giggles, Knoxville gleefully attacks them with trash can lids and tasers.

— Tim Grierson, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
Yellow-legged hornets, an invasive species that attacks honeybee colonies, have been spotted in North Carolina for the first time.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of attacks

Noun

At Johannesburg’s former Women’s Jail, now a museum, women speak of past sacrifices, linking them to today’s struggles.

— Michelle Gumede, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
The book suggests Brady's commitment to the game ultimately led to a loss in love, raising questions about the sacrifices made for greatness.

— Darren Cooper, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of sacrifices

Verb

After Max tortures them in a mock-trial confrontation in their living room, Tom eventually tackles Max into the backyard pool.

— Benjamin VanHoose, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026
On his latest Hyperdub release, the Japanese producer born Takahide Higuchi sings more than on previous records but tortures his voice through a gauntlet of pitch-shifter effects.

— Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 27 July 2026

Definition of tortures

Noun

The quarterfinal winners will secure automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup, while the losers will face off in a final set of matches to determine which two teams advance to FIFA’s intercontinental playoff next year.

— Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 6 Aug. 2026
The winners and losers of that sort of shift remain to be seen.

— Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of losers

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
Caleb and Kayda spend a few minutes chatting in the Say Less nook, and Zach torments himself with mental images of them making out just outside of view.

— Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 22 June 2026

Definition of torments

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

Definition of persecutes

Verb

Too often, this means taxpayer dollars are fueling the very gun violence that plagues neighborhoods and communities nationwide.

— Kris Brown, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2026
Odd moment plagues fourth quarter As the Knicks held on to their fairly sizable lead, a fan ran onto the court, tried to take a selfie with Wembanyama but was quickly apprehended by security.

— Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 4 June 2026

Definition of plagues

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.

Browse Nearby Words

martyring

martyrs

martyry

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Martyrs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/martyrs. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of martyrs

verb

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on martyrs

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

salvo

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

'Gaslighting,' 'Woke,' 'Democracy,' and Other Top Lookups

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes