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
With his penchant for menacing models, black-out contact lenses and jutting shoulders, Owens is also a forever torchbearer for different kinds of beauty, and a safe haven for people who feel persecuted for being outside the norm.
—
Miles Socha, Footwear News, 25 June 2025
The regimes that persecute religious minorities are also the ones that oppress women, LGBTQ people, journalists, and dissidents.
—Nuri Kino, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 June 2025
In a small town in western Ireland, Jamie O’Neill is about to start secondary school, a Catholic school run by a fanatic and filled with plenty of bullies looking for someone just like Jamie to persecute.
—The Know, Denver Post, 1 June 2025
President Trump’s meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa took an unexpected turn Wednesday when Trump showed a video filled with clips putting his counterpart on the spot over claims that white farmers are being persecuted in that country.
—Brett Samuels, The Hill, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for persecute
Miles Socha, Footwear News, 25 June 2025
The regimes that persecute religious minorities are also the ones that oppress women, LGBTQ people, journalists, and dissidents.
—Nuri Kino, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 June 2025
In a small town in western Ireland, Jamie O’Neill is about to start secondary school, a Catholic school run by a fanatic and filled with plenty of bullies looking for someone just like Jamie to persecute.
—The Know, Denver Post, 1 June 2025
President Trump’s meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa took an unexpected turn Wednesday when Trump showed a video filled with clips putting his counterpart on the spot over claims that white farmers are being persecuted in that country.
—Brett Samuels, The Hill, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for persecute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persecute
Verb
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The last few projects have been plagued by delays and massive cost overruns.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
27 June 2025
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Pachuca’s failure plagued Salzburg as well, with the Austrian side needing a boost after things turned for the worse against Real Madrid, only to be denied – despite their social media admin’s best pleas.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
27 June 2025
Verb
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Francie instantly annoys Nat by kissing Pete hello, and the two women start yelling at each other immediately.—
Dave Nemetz,
TVLine,
27 June 2025
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If visible bulbs and cables annoy you, these aren’t for you.—
Simon Hill,
Wired News,
26 June 2025
Verb
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To put it into perspective, the National Organization for Rare Disorders estimates that one person on every elevator and four people on every bus are afflicted.—
Alexis Kayser,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 June 2025
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Those afflicted with sickle cell disease and their families turned out in support of World Sickle Cell Day at West Oakland’s DeFremery Park on Sunday.—
Jane Tyska,
Mercury News,
25 June 2025
Verb
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While notification bundles were an option before, they were primarily used for messaging, and not all developers bothered.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
30 June 2025
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If Waldron wasn’t battered, then Phillies starter Zack Wheeler was hardly bothered.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 June 2025
Verb
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Nicolás Maduro and his enforcers are running a criminal narco-terrorist dictatorship that jails political opponents, tortures dissidents, and crushes any hope of free expression.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
27 June 2025
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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
Verb
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Jake Paul’s everyday unscented face wash avoids irritating fragrances but is infused with vitamin B3 to help keep your skin hydrated.—
Christopher Murray
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
30 June 2025
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Work exposures: If you are frequently exposed to irritating chemicals or substances, your risk of dermatitis is higher.—
Carrie Madormo,
Health,
29 June 2025
Verb
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By 1972, Argentina was besieged by unprecedented political violence.—
Daniel Alarcón,
New Yorker,
30 June 2025
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Gas stations are besieged, and shops are emptying of essentials.—
Scott Peterson,
Christian Science Monitor,
16 June 2025
Verb
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Say your mother kept bugging you to change a bad habit.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
11 May 2025
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Next season is when all the little things start to bug me.—
Ryan Schwartz,
TVLine,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Persecute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecute. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.
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