1
as in plaguing
to cause persistent suffering to
people who were persecuted simply for practicing their religious faith
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bothering
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
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Recent Examples of persecuting
But so often left unsaid by Gu are the moral ambiguities that come with choosing to represent a country that has been heavily criticized by Human Rights Watch, among other watchdog groups, for denying rights of freedom of expression and for persecuting government critics.
—
Zak Keefer, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Troops are occupying our cities and persecuting our people.
—Maria Guinnip, Oklahoman, 21 Jan. 2026
Trump has repeatedly alleged that the South African government is actively persecuting white citizens, particularly farmers.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2025
The former human-rights lawyer entered on a tourist visa and filed for political asylum in October of that year, claiming the governments that succeeded Correa were persecuting him.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
In July, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for two of the Taliban’s top leaders, accusing them of persecuting women and girls in Afghanistan, which the group dismissed.
—Astha Rajvanshi, NBC news, 5 Aug. 2025
Zak Keefer, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Troops are occupying our cities and persecuting our people.
—Maria Guinnip, Oklahoman, 21 Jan. 2026
Trump has repeatedly alleged that the South African government is actively persecuting white citizens, particularly farmers.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2025
The former human-rights lawyer entered on a tourist visa and filed for political asylum in October of that year, claiming the governments that succeeded Correa were persecuting him.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
In July, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for two of the Taliban’s top leaders, accusing them of persecuting women and girls in Afghanistan, which the group dismissed.
—Astha Rajvanshi, NBC news, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persecuting
Verb
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Even cursory nods to the pandemic as the root cause of neighbors turning against neighbors aren’t explored so much as they’re acknowledged, as if viewers are somehow unaware of the polarization plaguing America.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
13 Feb. 2026
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The House passed a bipartisan housing bill that would enact new policies to boost housing supply and ease the affordability crisis plaguing the nation.—
Zach Halaschak,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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One Florida resident reportedly hired a local mover without bothering to determine if the company was licensed, only to run into a boatload of trouble.—
Lew Sichelman,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
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If your knee is bothering you, for instance, the vibration might distract your brain enough for the pain to temporarily retreat.—
Jennifer Heimlich,
Time,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But the overlap with unusually frigid temperatures afflicting Florida's Space Coast and the rest of the country have turned Crew-12's launch opportunities into an intricate dance around Artemis 2.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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Their bread-and-butter is comforting the most comfortable by afflicting the most afflicted.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Sometimes, rage bait can be relatively harmless – a recipe that contains disgusting food combinations or someone annoying their pet, partner or sibling.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
1 Dec. 2025
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But what’s been annoying me even more is that these women should have been trained by producers to start recording on their own cell phones if drama starts to unfold after cameras go down.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
12 Nov. 2025
Verb
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According to court records, Quero Silva is defending himself against the new federal lawsuit accusing him of torturing the protestors in Barquisimeto.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
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Yorgos Lanthimos, Florian Zeller and Juliette Binoche are among more than 800 film professionals who have signed a joint statement condemning the Iranian government for killing and torturing its own people.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
That thing’s been bugging on him for a while.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
29 Dec. 2025
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Then Julian dropped one of his wireless earbuds into Olympia’s purse, using it as a crude bugging device.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
12 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The fight marks Strickland’s first bout since he was suspended from the UFC in July 2025 for attacking another fighter while working as a cornerman during an event.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
19 Feb. 2026
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The Best New Artist nominees have been attacking beauty from all fronts as of late.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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A lot of anti-aging skincare contains ingredients like retinol that can be drying and irritating, but Cetaphil has a possible solution.—
Lauren Taylor,
Southern Living,
30 Jan. 2026
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Cold outdoor air plus active heat indoors can pull moisture from both the scalp and hair shaft, which can be irritating.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Persecuting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecuting. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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