as in harassment
something that causes mental distress
The media's constant persecution was beginning to affect their lives.
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Recent Examples of persecution
Long and Jin Drexel both said Jin may have sensed the arrest was coming, telling them both in recent weeks that persecution could lead to a new wave of revival among Christianity.
—
Chandelis Duster, NPR, 12 Oct. 2025
Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran native who had been living in Maryland with his wife and children, was deported in March to El Salvador's CECOT mega-prison -- despite a 2019 court order barring his deportation to that country due to fear of persecution.
—Laura Romero, ABC News, 10 Oct. 2025
Cruz introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025 last month, a bill aimed at protecting Christians from persecution.
—Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Jafar Panahi has endured censorship, bans, arrests, all kinds of persecution.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for persecution
Chandelis Duster, NPR, 12 Oct. 2025
Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran native who had been living in Maryland with his wife and children, was deported in March to El Salvador's CECOT mega-prison -- despite a 2019 court order barring his deportation to that country due to fear of persecution.
—Laura Romero, ABC News, 10 Oct. 2025
Cruz introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025 last month, a bill aimed at protecting Christians from persecution.
—Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Jafar Panahi has endured censorship, bans, arrests, all kinds of persecution.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for persecution
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persecution
Noun
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Crypto crimes once contained to online harassment now often include kidnapping, extortion, and armed threats.—
Jesse Hyde,
Rolling Stone,
21 Oct. 2025
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Cybernews found that users sent an average of 107 messages to their AI partners, creating a digital footprint that could be exploited for identity theft, harassment, or blackmail.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Reactions to the extraordinary news spread quickly, ranging from surprise to anger at the league itself, according to five people who work inside or closely with the NBA, all of whom were granted anonymity because they were not permitted to speak publicly about the matter.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
24 Oct. 2025
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Is that your way of expressing the anger and exhaustion that so many people feel in the country right now?—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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One application of the thick cream, and the irritation and redness from my rash (which turned out to be perioral dermatitis) significantly improved.—
Erin Mayer,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Oct. 2025
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Flat seams eliminate irritation and itching for loose threads, and an elastic waistband and cuffs at the ankles provides a snug fit that’s still forgiving.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Persecution.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecution. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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