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
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
The Secret Agent’s primary setting is a house full of misfits and refugees in the northeastern city of Recife, a safe harbor from those persecuted by the country’s military regime, ruled over by the inimitable Dona Sebastiana (Tânia Maria, whose role was written specifically for her).
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 6 Feb. 2026
Trump has promised to help rescue the country’s persecuted protesters as thousands died.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 1 Feb. 2026
During vetting by the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security, refugees are required to show they were persecuted or face persecution in their home countries and, once in the US, must apply for green cards a year after admission.
—Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
Mattarella condemned the complicity of ordinary Italians in the fascist-era racial laws, which persecuted Italy’s Jewish community, and deportation of its Jews.
—Vanessa Gera, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026
The Kurds have been marginalized, persecuted and slaughtered by the likes of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and before those states existed, the Ottoman Empire.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 26 Jan. 2026
Most Iranians know someone who has been persecuted, killed, maimed, or unjustly imprisoned by the Islamic Republic regime that has occupied Iran since 1979.
—Dan Bilefsky, HollywoodReporter, 21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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
The Secret Agent’s primary setting is a house full of misfits and refugees in the northeastern city of Recife, a safe harbor from those persecuted by the country’s military regime, ruled over by the inimitable Dona Sebastiana (Tânia Maria, whose role was written specifically for her).
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 6 Feb. 2026
Trump has promised to help rescue the country’s persecuted protesters as thousands died.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 1 Feb. 2026
During vetting by the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security, refugees are required to show they were persecuted or face persecution in their home countries and, once in the US, must apply for green cards a year after admission.
—Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
Mattarella condemned the complicity of ordinary Italians in the fascist-era racial laws, which persecuted Italy’s Jewish community, and deportation of its Jews.
—Vanessa Gera, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026
The Kurds have been marginalized, persecuted and slaughtered by the likes of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and before those states existed, the Ottoman Empire.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 26 Jan. 2026
Most Iranians know someone who has been persecuted, killed, maimed, or unjustly imprisoned by the Islamic Republic regime that has occupied Iran since 1979.
—Dan Bilefsky, HollywoodReporter, 21 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persecuted
Adjective
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Alper used his speech to express solidarity with oppressed people everywhere.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Feb. 2026
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Ethics of risk There are many examples of Christian leaders who have taken on risks out of a religious and moral obligation to provide spiritual care for people in need or advocate for oppressed communities.—
Laura E. Alexander,
The Conversation,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Those who aren’t afflicted by the syndrome might think dark thoughts, but they are kept buttoned up.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
23 Feb. 2026
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Costco's popular rotisserie chicken is at the center of another lawsuit, this one claiming that a chicken processing plant in Nebraska is afflicted by salmonella contamination, possibly affecting hundreds of millions of the birds sold through the warehouses.—
Cheryl V. Jackson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In the statement, the zoo said the mother may have thought her baby was annoyed with Punch, which upset her.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Dominic Solanke was adjudged to have made a fair challenge on City defender Marc Guehi in the act of scoring Tottenham’s first goal, something that annoyed manager Pep Guardiola and his players.—
Sam Lee,
New York Times,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The violence captured on cellphone videos and shared around the globe – buses burning, gas stations attacked, military helicopters flying overhead – wasn’t just happening in remote rural towns long plagued by drug violence.—
Mary Beth Sheridan,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
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But controversial government efforts to redress inequalities have been plagued by corruption and cronyism.—
Michael H Gavshon,
CBS News,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Tough, undemanding, and rarely bothered by pests, a cheery patch of daffodils can last for generations.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
23 Feb. 2026
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As a young schoolboy, Davidson was often cruelly stigmatized because no one had bothered to diagnose his disorder.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The mother of Tilly Servin, a toddler who prosecutors believe was tortured to death in Long Beach last year, is suing Los Angeles County’s child protection agency for leaving her daughter in the custody of the child’s father, who was previously sentenced to four years in prison for child abuse.—
Rebecca Ellis,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Feb. 2026
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Some detainees are tortured to get information about other protesters or to get confessions, usually admitting to working with foreign governments, which are often televised, according to Aban, who has documented over 300 confessions carried in various state media outlets since the protests began.—
Babak Dehghanpisheh,
NBC news,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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For a long time your political cartoons published in the editorial pages have irritated me.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Jan. 2026
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The song, which reclaims a derogatory term for Venezuelan female migrants, was interpreted as defiant and irritated the Venezuelan president, then facing widespread reports of electoral fraud.—
Leonor C. Suárez,
Rolling Stone,
4 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Destruction in Mariupol At the start of the war, Russian forces besieged Mariupol before the port city fell in May 2022.—
Yuras Karmanau,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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The Adams administration was besieged with corruption at every level—the Blackness of the perpetrators was of no solace.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Persecuted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecuted. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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