as in oppressed
suffering grave abuse or injustice at the hands of one in authority
a nation that is still regarded as a refuge for persecuted people from around the world
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in afflicted
to cause persistent suffering to
people who were persecuted simply for practicing their religious faith
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in annoyed
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 persecuted
Matthew Huff, IndieWire, 17 Mar. 2026
Chandler framed himself as an alienated artist persecuted by arbitrary strictures.
—Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026
Making up between 8% to 17% of the country’s total population, Iran’s Kurdish minority has long been persecuted under the Islamic Republic.
—John Calabrese, The Conversation, 7 Mar. 2026
The mission said intelligence agencies routinely persecuted political adversaries, falsifying evidence to justify arrests and in some cases resorting to torture, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 25 Feb. 2026
Under the policy issued last March and reaffirmed last July, immigration officers did not need to give notice or an opportunity for migrants to contest their removal to third countries, so long as the government had received word from that country that deportees would not be persecuted or tortured.
—Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 25 Feb. 2026
The policy allows migrants to be deported to such countries if immigration authorities either have credible diplomatic assurances that they will not be persecuted or tortured if sent there, or have given the migrants as little as six hours of notice that they are being sent to such a place.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 25 Feb. 2026
Russia has destroyed more than 600 churches, persecuted millions of Ukrainian Christians under occupation, and abducted more than 19,000 children in an effort to break Ukraine’s spirit.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 24 Feb. 2026
The result is that, despite existing household pains owing to more expensive fuel, a resurgent kidnapping crisis that exposes deep security vulnerabilities, and external pressure from a US government that claims Christians are persecuted in Nigeria, Tinubu has expanded his base and looks strong.
—Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Verb
In the wake of 9/11, anti-immigrant sentiments were on the rise, LGBTQ+ minorities were being persecuted, and new technological advancements threatened to wreak havoc on the world.
—Matthew Huff, IndieWire, 17 Mar. 2026
Chandler framed himself as an alienated artist persecuted by arbitrary strictures.
—Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026
Making up between 8% to 17% of the country’s total population, Iran’s Kurdish minority has long been persecuted under the Islamic Republic.
—John Calabrese, The Conversation, 7 Mar. 2026
The mission said intelligence agencies routinely persecuted political adversaries, falsifying evidence to justify arrests and in some cases resorting to torture, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 25 Feb. 2026
Under the policy issued last March and reaffirmed last July, immigration officers did not need to give notice or an opportunity for migrants to contest their removal to third countries, so long as the government had received word from that country that deportees would not be persecuted or tortured.
—Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 25 Feb. 2026
The policy allows migrants to be deported to such countries if immigration authorities either have credible diplomatic assurances that they will not be persecuted or tortured if sent there, or have given the migrants as little as six hours of notice that they are being sent to such a place.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 25 Feb. 2026
Russia has destroyed more than 600 churches, persecuted millions of Ukrainian Christians under occupation, and abducted more than 19,000 children in an effort to break Ukraine’s spirit.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 24 Feb. 2026
The result is that, despite existing household pains owing to more expensive fuel, a resurgent kidnapping crisis that exposes deep security vulnerabilities, and external pressure from a US government that claims Christians are persecuted in Nigeria, Tinubu has expanded his base and looks strong.
—Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persecuted
Adjective
-
Again and again, American planners have assumed that if the right spark is provided, oppressed people will seize the moment and revolt.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
9 Mar. 2026
-
The tiny minority that held this fragile wealth has long needed protection, both from the vast numbers of oppressed people needed to extract it and from the federal government determined to protect them.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In New Zealand, Māori men are famously afflicted — by their eighties, nearly half may have (or have had) gout.—
Jan Steyn,
The Dial,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Cabbages are afflicted by cabbage webworms, cabbage white moths, cabbage loopers, and other worms.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Still, Clarkson was annoyed about not receiving her reality TV prizes after learning that American Idol season 2 runner-up Clay Aiken and his mother were gifted cars from production.—
Daysia Tolentino,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The bartender is annoyed and goes for a smoke.—
E.R. Pulgar,
Pitchfork,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But the revelry was also plagued with the yearly medical emergencies, arrests and public safety challenges.—
Grace Zokovitch,
Boston Herald,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Republicans and Democrats at the Capitol alike say fraud prevention is a top priority this year in the wake of scandals like the one that plagued housing stabilization services, so this is just one bill related to this topic this session.—
Caroline Cummings,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But China showed little immediate sign that it was bothered by the likely delay, which analysts told NBC News may actually prove beneficial to efforts to further stabilize relations.—
Janis Mackey Frayer,
NBC news,
17 Mar. 2026
-
When you can't be bothered with opening up a bottle of nail polish, nail wraps are your mess-free option.—
Kara Jillian Brown,
InStyle,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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His fourth attempt was foiled when he was arrested at the airport and detained and tortured for several months.—
Don Riddell,
CNN Money,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The former soldier also said Haitian police mentally and physically tortured the Colombian suspects after they were taken into custody.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Knicks would beat the Magic, but Orlando’s physicality has irritated New York over the past two seasons.—
James L. Edwards III,
New York Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
For a long time your political cartoons published in the editorial pages have irritated me.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The interview takes a bad turn when the Ralph Lauren office building is besieged by the tabloid mob.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
-
But the regime, besieged by insurrections across the country, abandoned Manbij.—
Anand Gopal,
New Yorker,
28 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Persecuted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecuted. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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