1
as in to plague
to cause persistent suffering to
people who were persecuted simply for practicing their religious faith
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of persecute
Saddam towered over Iraq’s political regime for nearly 30 years, plunging the country into multiple destructive wars, persecuting his own citizens and inflicting widespread trauma and suffering.
—
David Faris, TheWeek, 24 Apr. 2026
Former President Francisco Macias Nguema persecuted Catholics, closed several churches and banned the church in 1978 to cut ties with Spain, the country’s former colonial power.
—ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
Alex isn’t persecuted for being trans.
—Brittany Delay, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
Jews were not necessarily being persecuted in Hungary at that point.
—Marcy Thompson, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for persecute
David Faris, TheWeek, 24 Apr. 2026
Former President Francisco Macias Nguema persecuted Catholics, closed several churches and banned the church in 1978 to cut ties with Spain, the country’s former colonial power.
—ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
Alex isn’t persecuted for being trans.
—Brittany Delay, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
Jews were not necessarily being persecuted in Hungary at that point.
—Marcy Thompson, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for persecute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persecute
Verb
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Despite that underlying tension, kids play on the street outside while the large family has a dynamic like any other — noisily squabbling, joking, or in the case of the matriarchal grandmother, Mariam (Hiam Abbass), preparing a meal in a kitchen plagued by constant utility outages.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
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That's still an incredible class, especially considering the doldrums that have plagued the UCLA football program for the past decade plus.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
To Henry, this would have been for the greater good of English football, but the reaction was again one of anger and Henry was annoyed that the idea was killed off.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
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The non-meat use of the term came from the online chat room community, which by the late 1980s was already using it to denote a mass influx of data into their chat rooms that could trigger a computer crash and/or annoy chat room users.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Roma have not had a regular goalscorer since Tammy Abraham’s knee injury in 2023 and even then, the Englishman was afflicted by second-season syndrome.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
-
Daniel de Visé Fourteen Spanish citizens who were on the cruise ship afflicted with a hantavirus outbreak have arrived home in Spain.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Now the dog is back to bothering her brother and showing off her sassy personality.—
Kelli Bender,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
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This is a nakedly partisan power grab, and state officials haven’t really bothered to deny it.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Her sisters were also imprisoned and tortured.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
10 May 2026
-
One who is both fascinated and tortured by the brilliance of another.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
8 May 2026
Verb
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My mother-in-law uses the Boacay Soft and Warm Travel Blanket because the ultra-soft, micro-plush fabric keeps her warm in chilly airplane cabins without irritating her skin.—
Karthika Gupta,
Travel + Leisure,
10 May 2026
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Hydrogen sulfide, a gas commonly associated with sewage, can irritate the eyes and respiratory system and in higher concentrations may cause more serious health effects, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
10 May 2026
Verb
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The Liberty sought a repeat victory in 2025 but was besieged by injuries and ultimately lost in the playoffs to the Mercury; Jones, the 2024 WNBA Finals MVP, injured her ankle and missed numerous games, while guard/forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton suffered a knee injury.—
Yohana Desta,
Vanity Fair,
7 May 2026
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In a similar vein, the Business section featured an article on our inequitable national tax structure, which enables the wealthy to grow their wealth while most people, besieged by income taxes and rising property taxes, struggle.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Although pest control companies offer lethal solutions such as carpenter bee traps or chemical treatments, the best way to keep carpenter bees from bugging you is using stained, sealed, varnished or treated wood in building projects.—
Sarah Linn
April 24,
Sacbee.com,
24 Apr. 2026
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Upon arriving at big-league camp this spring, Rojas said the different grip initially bugged him.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Persecute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecute. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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