1
as in to plague
to cause persistent suffering to
people who were persecuted simply for practicing their religious faith
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to annoy
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
she likes to persecute her sister with pointless, annoying questions at very inopportune times
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of persecute
An immigration judge determined that he would likely be persecuted or tortured if deported to Guatemala again, and granted him an order protecting him from removal.
—
Solcyré Burga, Time, 25 June 2025
There may be no animal that has been more revered and reviled, romanticized and persecuted, adopted and murdered than the coyote.
—Helen Whybrow
july 7, Literary Hub, 7 July 2025
Asylum seekers must prove their government is persecuting them or that they're being persecuted by someone who the government is unable or unwilling to stop.
—Victoria Moorwood, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Suffice it to say that some of the most important organizations advocating for basic freedoms for Hong Kongers, Uyghurs, Tibetans, and others persecuted by the CCP will be diminished in capacity if not outright shuttered if things proceed as planned.
—Olivia Enos, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for persecute
Solcyré Burga, Time, 25 June 2025
There may be no animal that has been more revered and reviled, romanticized and persecuted, adopted and murdered than the coyote.
—Helen Whybrow
july 7, Literary Hub, 7 July 2025
Asylum seekers must prove their government is persecuting them or that they're being persecuted by someone who the government is unable or unwilling to stop.
—Victoria Moorwood, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Suffice it to say that some of the most important organizations advocating for basic freedoms for Hong Kongers, Uyghurs, Tibetans, and others persecuted by the CCP will be diminished in capacity if not outright shuttered if things proceed as planned.
—Olivia Enos, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for persecute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persecute
Verb
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Mohammad Omar had been plagued with medical problems since birth.—
Li-Lian Ahlskog Hou,
CNN Money,
22 July 2025
-
That’s the kind of problem that leads to the rodent Rose Parade that’s plagued other restaurants on this street.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
21 July 2025
Verb
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That acquisition annoyed shareholders and customers alike, with investors taking issue with the fact that it was structured to avoid a vote.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
25 July 2025
-
Meanwhile, be patient with daily contacts, especially siblings and relatives who might annoy you.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
21 July 2025
Verb
-
The price transparency problem afflicting hospitals exemplifies the problem.—
Wayne Winegarden,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
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Her brother Aaron, afflicted with the same condition, had passed away in 2019.—
David Epstein,
ProPublica,
18 July 2025
Verb
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But one aspect of his robberies bothers him to this day.—
Faith Karimi,
CNN Money,
26 July 2025
-
This means that some people might not bother using them.—
Ben Coxworth
July 26,
New Atlas,
26 July 2025
Verb
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Luis Leon, who received political asylum in the United States in 1987 after being tortured under Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet's regime, misplaced his wallet that held his legal residency card, according to Allentown, Pennsylvania, newspaper The Morning Call.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 July 2025
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Editor’s Pick From assassination plots to torture programs, the agency’s darkest operations have always been at the President’s behest.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
16 July 2025
Verb
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According to Valliere, people and pets should avoid coming in contact with several invasive plants in California, including: Certain grasses, which produce long awns and seeds that can irritate skin, get stuck in pets’ fur, and cause discomfort for both animals and humans.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
14 July 2025
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Things escalated further as fans began requesting photos and videos, reportedly irritating the R&B star.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
14 July 2025
Verb
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Today, some 30,000 Druze and Christians are besieged—without water, electricity, food, or medicine.—
Nuri Kino,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 July 2025
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Khader returned to Jenin briefly in December, smuggled in by friends while the camp was besieged by the Palestinian Authority’s security forces in coördination with the Israeli military, as part of a crackdown on armed fighters.—
M. Z. Adnan,
New Yorker,
20 July 2025
Verb
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If things were in fact bugged during the Contest Mode run, a limited-time offering, that’s going to be something if a disaster to admit.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
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Say your mother kept bugging you to change a bad habit.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
11 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Persecute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecute. Accessed 31 Jul. 2025.
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