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
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Recent Examples of persecutes
China, which jails human rights activists in Hong Kong, persecutes Uyghurs, has killed hundreds of thousands of Tibetans and has committed genocide against the Falun Gong, is on the UN Human Rights Council.
—
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 18 Feb. 2026
In Russia, the civilian repressive apparatus persecutes the military, which leaps at every chance for revenge.
—Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 18 Feb. 2026
In Russia, the civilian repressive apparatus persecutes the military, which leaps at every chance for revenge.
—Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persecutes
Verb
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While a fuel crisis plagues the people of Lagos, Nigeria, a young cab driver dreams of a better life.—
Jourdain Searles,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Mar. 2026
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Notably from a distribution standpoint, Double Vision’s sister production services business will assist with everything from music clearances – something that plagues many microdrama makers – and format bibles to localization services and local productions in key markets.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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What is the pettiest thing that annoys you during a race weekend?—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
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Think of something that annoys you, connect it to masculinity by adding bro, and proceed as though that bro were a category of person.—
Dan Brooks,
The Atlantic,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Put simply, notaming deficits through a balance of revenue increases and lower spending, but abandoning spending discipline, the curse that afflicts Europe to this day.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
1 Mar. 2026
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Hicks and her legal team allege medical personnel later diagnosed Hicks with gestational diabetes — a condition that afflicts some pregnant women — as further justification to induce her.—
Jeremy Gorner,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That notion clearly bothers Schoen and the organization.—
Dan Duggan,
New York Times,
3 Mar. 2026
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One thing that bothers him, though, is the calls from GVA asking for cash to shore up financing on the underwater properties as loan rates skyrocketed and monthly debt servicing led to losses.—
Paul Flahive,
Austin American Statesman,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The retrospection tortures her.—
Alexandra Rockey Fleming,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
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Later, in one of the movie's most satisfying scenes, Millie locks Andrew in the attic and tortures him by loudly smashing each plate.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Dec. 2025
Verb
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If something irritates you, the Aries moon encourages you to speak up.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
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There’s another distinctly New York habit that irritates Manville — at the end of the performances, theatergoers leap to their feat, not just to applaud, but to whip out their cellphones to record the curtain call.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Travelers are advised to inspect hotel rooms upon arrival and use precautions like plastic bags or luggage liners to prevent bringing bed bugs home.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Jan. 2026
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Check the head and base and foot of the bed, peeling back the top sheet to look for evidence on mattress covers, box springs, dust ruffles, and the headboard—and most importantly, the mattress seams and piping because bed bugs like to hide in cracks and crevices.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
25 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Persecutes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecutes. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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