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
During its reign of terror, the Ustaše regime persecuted and murdered hundreds of thousands of Serbs, Jews and Roma, as well as Croatians opposed to their rule.
—
Larry Luxner, Sun Sentinel, 5 May 2025
Individuals who receive asylum have demonstrated they have been persecuted — or will likely be persecuted — because of their religion, race, social status or political opinions if returned to their country of origin.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2025
Also called the Law of Democratic Memory, the ley de nietos, set to expire October 21, 2025, grants descendants of Spaniards persecuted during the Spanish Civil War and subsequent Francisco Franco dictatorship a path to Spanish citizenship.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2025
Recent refugees include Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion, Afghans who served the U.S. military and now face threats under the Taliban, and persecuted religious and ethnic minorities like Uyghurs, Bahá’ís, and Iranian Christians.
—Sophie Hills, Christian Science Monitor, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for persecute
Larry Luxner, Sun Sentinel, 5 May 2025
Individuals who receive asylum have demonstrated they have been persecuted — or will likely be persecuted — because of their religion, race, social status or political opinions if returned to their country of origin.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2025
Also called the Law of Democratic Memory, the ley de nietos, set to expire October 21, 2025, grants descendants of Spaniards persecuted during the Spanish Civil War and subsequent Francisco Franco dictatorship a path to Spanish citizenship.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2025
Recent refugees include Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion, Afghans who served the U.S. military and now face threats under the Taliban, and persecuted religious and ethnic minorities like Uyghurs, Bahá’ís, and Iranian Christians.
—Sophie Hills, Christian Science Monitor, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for persecute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persecute
Verb
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Flanagan boys track coach Jessica Carter said the inclement weather which plagued the meet the entire weekend and forced the postponement of the 3A meet until Saturday posed problems for her boys team.—
Gary Curreri,
Sun Sentinel,
12 May 2025
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The last five years have brought back weaknesses that plagued Kohli early in his career as a brash but fiercely talented batter.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
12 May 2025
Verb
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But until Tuesday afternoon, four days out, there had been no announcement of what acts would be performing, or even where the show would be held The radio silence annoyed fans, who said so online.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
14 May 2025
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Nearly one-half of Republicans (52%) are annoyed with how much attention is being paid to climate change vs. only 13% for Democrats.—
Robert G. Eccles,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
Verb
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But in the midst of profound uncertainty and genuine pain and dislocation afflicting many, to convey confidence in addressing a highly volatile and fundamentally uncertain future would be inauthentic, and likely to be seen as such.—
Paul Laudicina,
Forbes.com,
8 May 2025
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Alhurra is subject to the same forces afflicting all TV networks, with audiences increasingly finding their news on TikTok and YouTube.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
3 May 2025
Verb
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That doesn’t mean the implication doesn’t bother him.—
Jack Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2025
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Or Xander Schauffele, the defending PGA champion who is surely not bothered by the lack of attention on him early this week.—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
15 May 2025
Verb
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The duo were accused of torturing and killing Micah in March 2018 in the garage of Queen's friend Matthew Vandecasteele over a missing gun dispute, then dismembering Micah and disposing of his body parts.—
Emily Krauser,
People.com,
12 May 2025
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Airlines would just shrink the size of their seats even more, leaving all of us scrambling desperately to feel a little less tortured on our next flights.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
10 May 2025
Verb
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Use your hands: Since washcloths and sponges can irritate the skin, apply cleansers using your fingers, moving then over the skin in a circular motion.—
Mark Gurarie,
Verywell Health,
14 May 2025
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Aggressive or improper neck manipulation can irritate or compress nerves in your cervical spine, causing pain, numbness, muscle weakness, or tingling that radiates into your shoulders, arms, or hands.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Health,
12 May 2025
Verb
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The construction is about halfway complete, according to the former president's foundation, but it has been besieged by significant delays and has gone well over budget.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
7 May 2025
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Ellie’s gets bitten After fleeing the TV station and killing two Wolves in a remixed turn of events, Ellie and Dina find themselves in a subway tunnel besieged by both WLF and infected.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
5 May 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, Curry is 37 and played Sunday with his right thumb wrapped in athletic tape, nursing an ailment that has bugged him all season.—
Evan Webeck,
Mercury News,
13 Apr. 2025
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And for me, nothing bugs me more than engaging in social activities to check the box rather than making meaningful connections.—
Time,
Time,
7 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Persecute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecute. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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