1
as in plagues
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 annoys
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persecutes
Verb
-
When an unexpected event takes him back to his hometown, he is reunited with his mother and old friends but also confronted by the corruption that plagues his country, sparking a political awakening.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
20 Oct. 2025 -
Chapman’s tenure at the SBC Executive Committee from 1992 to 2009 encountered similar economic and political headwinds that plagues the SBC today, yet many Southern Baptists remember that time for Chapman’s determination to push past those hurdles for the sake of growing local churches.—
Liam Adams,
Nashville Tennessean,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Ask yourself what annoys you specifically about that behavior, Davis says.—
NPR,
NPR,
28 Oct. 2025
-
There are days when my running annoys my wife, my children, or my colleagues.—
Nicholas Thompson,
The Atlantic,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Illness and job losses left Allen Gray vulnerable to a problem that afflicts thousands of Cincinnati seniors.—
Dan Horn,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Recent research finds a similar curse afflicts National Football League teams that compete to acquire one of the top picks in its annual draft of new players.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
What about him specifically bothers you especially in terms of poisoning the youth?—
Jayson Buford,
Rolling Stone,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Really, the accuracy is the one thing that bothers me with him.—
Mike Sando,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Now, a sinister witch (Sarah Stephens) who bathes her broomstick in the woods tortures their existence, abducting their infant and leaving the family in shambles.—
Michael Lee Simpson,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Oct. 2025
-
The mistake tortures them, which prompts the couple to try and solve the mystery by producing a fake play in an attempt to get their ex-neighbor Mary (Chloe Cherry) to audition.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But Chelsea won’t have it, shutting the whole thing down in a way that clearly irritates her.—
Anne Victoria Clark,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
-
The group exhausts and irritates opposing pitchers.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Both can reduce debris or items that attract the boxelder bugs.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Chinch bugs overwinter in moist, deep thatch.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
17 Oct. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Persecutes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecutes. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share