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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of persecuted
Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2025
This Committee was initially created during the McCarthy Era, a dark time when the federal government repressed and persecuted American citizens for their political beliefs.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 1 Oct. 2025
Leatherface attacks, but the real villains turn out to be the townsfolk who persecuted the Sawyers after the original massacre.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Sep. 2025
More and more, people who have loyally served Putin’s system are being persecuted, mainly on the grounds of corruption.
—Andrei Kolesnikov, Foreign Affairs, 8 Sep. 2025
Molero and her husband arrived in the United States in 2003, fleeing after they were persecuted for working alongside opposition leader Juan Pablo Guanipa.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
Archival clips show thousands of Jews persecuted in Germany have begun migrating to Palestine.
—Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
His deportation to El Salvador violated a 2019 court order that protected him from being deported to his home country because of concerns that he’d be persecuted by violent gangs.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 25 Aug. 2025
Criminals are to be persecuted.
—Tommy Trenchard, NPR, 23 Aug. 2025
Verb
In Nazi Germany, transgender people were persecuted, barred from public life.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2025
This Committee was initially created during the McCarthy Era, a dark time when the federal government repressed and persecuted American citizens for their political beliefs.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 1 Oct. 2025
Leatherface attacks, but the real villains turn out to be the townsfolk who persecuted the Sawyers after the original massacre.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Sep. 2025
More and more, people who have loyally served Putin’s system are being persecuted, mainly on the grounds of corruption.
—Andrei Kolesnikov, Foreign Affairs, 8 Sep. 2025
Molero and her husband arrived in the United States in 2003, fleeing after they were persecuted for working alongside opposition leader Juan Pablo Guanipa.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
Archival clips show thousands of Jews persecuted in Germany have begun migrating to Palestine.
—Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
His deportation to El Salvador violated a 2019 court order that protected him from being deported to his home country because of concerns that he’d be persecuted by violent gangs.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 25 Aug. 2025
Criminals are to be persecuted.
—Tommy Trenchard, NPR, 23 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persecuted
Adjective
-
The song had an aggressive, staccato beat and vocal delivery; the general theme was Michael as an oppressed underdog fighting back.—
Dan Beck,
Variety,
21 Oct. 2025
-
One of the reasons why Muslims fast during Ramadan is to remember those who are oppressed or suffering, and to share in those emotions.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Lakers were down LeBron James, afflicted by nerve pain.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
13 Oct. 2025
-
The narrative takes a darker turn when a family member becomes supernaturally afflicted after witnessing a death, prompting a desperate search for spiritual intervention.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Or annoyed at myself for the whole stunt.—
Junnelle Hogen,
Outside,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Ball doesn’t seem annoyed by the memes yet, but the NBA season hasn’t officially started, so there’s still time.—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Advertisement The investigation and its many turns The investigation was plagued by mistakes, leaks, and false leads.—
Isadora Wandermurem,
Time,
22 Oct. 2025
-
If a fungal infection plagued your shrubs, rake up diseased leaves and dispose of them before adding a layer of mulch.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The decision by Aaron Turner, Kuminga’s agent, to go on a media tour in recent weeks while negotiating publicly in hopes of landing a better offer for Kuminga, irritated some with the organization, according to league sources.—
Nick Friedell,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
-
And the web designer from South Dakota certainly must have irritated her former final two ally Vince Panaro on her way out of the Big Brother house.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
As of 2025, at least 130 people are known to have been tortured by Burge and his detectives.—
Omar Jimenez,
CNN Money,
26 Oct. 2025
-
Another 11 suspected Tren de Aragua members were hit with multiple felony charges in December after a couple living in the now-shuttered Edge of Lowry apartments was kidnapped and tortured.—
John Aguilar,
Denver Post,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Berwald isn't alone in being bothered by misbehaving kids at breweries.—
Jordyn Noennig,
jsonline.com,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Lehrer — who has maintained his innocence to Rolling Stone claimed he wasn’t bothered by the road ordeal — has been locked away in Dominica State Prison for over two years now.—
Brenna Ehrlich,
Rolling Stone,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Made in Italy is besieged, and action must be taken to safeguard the local supply chain and its reputation.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Since its municipal establishment in 2018, Roku City has been a metropolis intermittently besieged by mythical creatures including a kraken, a big robot, and a Godzilla-like kaiju.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Persecuted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecuted. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share