as in frightening
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persecutive
Adjective
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The fumes are certainly easier to ignore or deny than the visceral, immediate violence of serial murder—which is much rarer, and yet, for many, much more frightening.—
Sarah Weinman,
The Atlantic,
18 June 2025 -
Which isn’t to say that the film isn’t frightening.—
Aaron Couch,
HollywoodReporter,
18 June 2025
Adjective
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Is 'Jaws' the scariest film of all time? Watch it once or hundreds of times and the scare seems fresh every time, says Dawn Keetley, editor of the journal Horror Studies and professor of English and film at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.—
Marco della Cava,
USA Today,
19 June 2025
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The cancer journey is complex, scary and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you.—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2025
Adjective
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Come for the carnage (R.I.P. little Alex Kintner), stay for the chilling character moments (Shaw's USS Indianapolis speech as Quint).—
Chris Nashawaty,
EW.com,
20 June 2025
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Now, in 2025, the breach at UNFI raises a chilling question: what a biological virus could not shut down, could a cyberattack succeed in crippling?—
Emil Sayegh,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2025
Adjective
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But Martone is one of the very best prospects in this draft and gives the Flyers size, high-end skill (he’s got plus traits as a shooter, handler and playmaker), and a formidable one-two punch at right wing with Matvei Michkov.—
Scott Wheeler,
New York Times,
27 June 2025
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The actress portrayed formidable sensei Kim Da-Eun on the Netflix series that ended in February after six seasons.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
EW.com,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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Whether the result of drugs, alcohol or general hysteria, these terrifying men would enter trance-like states and charge into battle, ignoring severe injuries and collapsing into a feeble heap immediately after the fight concluded.—
Drew Gerber,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
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John Hoffman via Facebook In a statement released on Thursday night, the Hoffman family recounted the terrifying attack, saying they were woken up by someone impersonating an officer who was banging on their door at 2 a.m.—
Stephen Swanson,
CBS News,
20 June 2025
Adjective
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Rarely great, and consistently cringey in that NHL way we’re used to by now, but rarely terrible.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
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Even the ones that aren’t strictly evil in the biblical sense are often prone to doing terrible things.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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The environmental impact is also particularly alarming.—
Lee-Lean Shu,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
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Equally alarming is the minuscule investment in research, which receives less than 0.2% of the National Institutes of Health budget, despite the massive economic toll.—
Julienne Verdi,
Boston Herald,
22 June 2025
Adjective
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And in addition to the swing itself, his overall approach at the plate has always been horrible.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
19 June 2025
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With guidance from Benny’s older sister and her campus-legend boyfriend, Benny and Carmen juggle horrible hookups, flavored vodka, and fake IDs.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
16 June 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Persecutive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecutive. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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