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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of persecute
For 25 years, Chavism has co-opted Venezuela's infrastructure for its own enrichment, persecuting journalists and opposition, wrecking the economy, and leaving its citizens in poverty.
—
Kristina Foltz, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025
The safest course would be to force out the Americans, persecute the Sunnis, and then let the Shiite factions bicker forever.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2 Sep. 2025
His deportation to El Salvador violated a 2019 court order that protected him from being deported to his home country because of concerns that he’d be persecuted by violent gangs.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 25 Aug. 2025
Criminals are to be persecuted.
—Tommy Trenchard, NPR, 23 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for persecute
Kristina Foltz, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025
The safest course would be to force out the Americans, persecute the Sunnis, and then let the Shiite factions bicker forever.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2 Sep. 2025
His deportation to El Salvador violated a 2019 court order that protected him from being deported to his home country because of concerns that he’d be persecuted by violent gangs.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 25 Aug. 2025
Criminals are to be persecuted.
—Tommy Trenchard, NPR, 23 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for persecute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persecute
Verb
-
The Tigers have been plagued by poor starting pitching, a thin bullpen and an offense that hasn’t played with the same spark since the All-Star break.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Aligning With San Francisco’s Health Care Security Ordinance San Francisco’s Health Care Security Ordinance was designed to expand access, but the system has long been plagued by complexity.—
Chelsea Davis,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Comments about my fast walk annoy me.—
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Keanu, still annoyed from the veto ceremony, talked to Ava Pearl in the HOH room and called Rachel a liar.—
David Wysong,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Those who dismissed intersectionality saw such policies as little more than allowing the disadvantaged to commit crimes without consequences to make up for past inequities, afflicting crime victims from the same disadvantaged communities.—
John Scott Lewinski,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
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Griffin, who does clinical work in Long Island, New York, said his sister-in-law is in her 40s and quite wary of long COVID, the enduring, debilitating health issues that have afflicted millions of Americans who contracted the coronavirus.—
Jorge L. Ortiz,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The acting didn’t bother me, but the directing did.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Sep. 2025
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If the odds of winning the lottery are so low, why do people bother playing?—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Emily Brontë appears in every way indifferent to the need for love and companionship that tortured the lives of her sisters.—
Emily Temple
September 5,
Literary Hub,
5 Sep. 2025
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Jamie Simpson of Covington was sentenced in March to 60 years in prison for holding his wife captive and torturing her for hours before barricading himself inside her home in a lengthy standoff with police.—
Quinlan Bentley,
The Enquirer,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Think flying in spring water to a Caribbean island because a female client thought the local water irritated her scalp.—
Louis J. Esterhazy,
Footwear News,
7 Sep. 2025
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However, Agnes is dressed exactly like Wednesday and her Single White Female act is irritating the hell out of her hero.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
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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Landslide in western Sudan kills at least 1,000 A landslide in western Sudan killed at least 1,000 people, intensifying hardship in a country besieged by years of civil war.—
Tasneem Nashrulla,
semafor.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Fort Worth bed bugs The B-plot of Episode 7 has Peggy setting up a Little Free Library in her front yard in an effort to build community.—
Jake Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Aug. 2025
-
His not winning it was considered a failure, and that bugged him.—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
21 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Persecute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecute. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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