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
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Recent Examples of persecute
The South African government has denied persecuting the ethnic minority, composed of descendants of European settlers, mostly from the Netherlands.
—
Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 19 May 2026
Another wore one that read Blessed are those persecuted for righteousness.
—Stephanie McCrummen, The Atlantic, 18 May 2026
My parents were supporters of the anti-apartheid movement and various family members were persecuted for being so also.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 14 May 2026
When hunted, poisoned, and persecuted, the coyotes scattered and regrouped, their numbers surging a hundred-fold.
—Literary Hub, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for persecute
Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 19 May 2026
Another wore one that read Blessed are those persecuted for righteousness.
—Stephanie McCrummen, The Atlantic, 18 May 2026
My parents were supporters of the anti-apartheid movement and various family members were persecuted for being so also.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 14 May 2026
When hunted, poisoned, and persecuted, the coyotes scattered and regrouped, their numbers surging a hundred-fold.
—Literary Hub, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for persecute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persecute
Verb
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But a season plagued by poor form and injuries to key players saw soccer giants finishing fifth in the league, 25 points behind leaders Arsenal.—
Mark Hodge,
NBC news,
30 May 2026
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But Frontier is still vulnerable to the many problems plaguing the overall US airline industry, and especially the low-fare segment of the market.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
Verb
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Ever been annoyed after Windows setup that your user folder has a weird name?—
Jon Martindale,
PC Magazine,
28 May 2026
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The suspension is a nice blend between comfort and sport—the sweet spot where breaks in the asphalt don’t annoy, yet body roll never feels excessive.—
Michael Harley,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
Verb
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Losses from cattle afflicted by the parasite could run into the billions of dollars, with larger effects across the American economy, according to USDA estimates.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
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The incursion was the latest in a litany of drone incidents — from both Russia and Ukraine — to afflict NATO member states and leave the 32-member trans-Atlantic organization on edge, drawing strong condemnation from Romania’s allies.—
Stephen McGrath,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Verb
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This was a club that embraced African players before much of Europe bothered to scout the continent seriously.—
Zohran Mamdani,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
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In my dream world where Emmys voters bother to watch Bait, Khan is a shoo-in.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
Verb
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She was arrested at a hotel near the barn and booked at the Clark County Juvenile Hall on 12 counts of animal cruelty, including intentionally aiming or torturing a horse, as well as three counts of malicious destruction of property.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
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She was later transported to the Clark County Juvenile Hall and charged with 12 counts of willful or malicious killing, maiming or torturing an animal and three counts of felony malicious destruction of private property valued at more than $5,000, police said.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
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It is expected that Mourinho will try to tighten control over leaks concerning internal dressing-room matters, something that has irritated the club this season — and which Alonso sought to tackle.—
Guillermo Rai,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
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Key Points Cayenne pepper can deter squirrels by irritating their senses without causing harm.—
Melissa Epifano,
The Spruce,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Bay Area content creator Kane Parsons pushes back on conventional storytelling, and his hypnotic approach results in one of 2026’s most exhilarating debuts, a existential head trip that GoPros us into a human subconscious besieged by misshapen memories that trap and hold you hostage.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
28 May 2026
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Over the years, we were constantly besieged with inquiries.—
Gillian Telling,
PEOPLE,
19 May 2026
Verb
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His doctor had been bugging him for years to get a colonoscopy because of his age, but Driggers declined.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 June 2026
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Get clear about what’s bugging you.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Persecute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecute. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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