PERSECUTIVE Synonyms: 62 Similar and Opposite Words

persecutive

adjective

Definition of persecutive

as in frightening

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for persecutive

Adjective

There is nothing more frightening than when the familiar starts acting strange, in movies or in life.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
And with Halloween nearly upon us, the question of what frightening, shocking, silly, classic, or demonically camp movies to press play on again (and again) has never been more pertinent.

— Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of frightening

Adjective

Bad dreams – like scary stories – work as fire drills for the developing brain.

— Liz Rosenberg, The Conversation, 23 Oct. 2026
There, shortly after fully participating in a practice as if nothing ever happened, the rookie linebacker recapped the scenes from perhaps the scariest moment of his football career three days prior.

— Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of scary

Adjective

The chilling effect, according to the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, is a phenomenon in which individuals refrain from engaging in expression for fear of getting into trouble.

— Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Sectarian tensions and the disrupting force of the Cold War plunged the Middle Eastern nation into decades of armed conflict, with a chilling effect on daily life.

— Shy Clara Thompson, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of chilling

Adjective

Then Clark put on a dribbling clinic, made nifty pass after nifty pass and became both a harassing presence on defense and the Fever's emotional leader during a 20-6 second-quarter run.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026
The first complaint, in which a clerk made similar accusations of abusive and harassing conduct, was filed with the circuit court in 2022, not long after Merriam’s appointment.

— Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 1 Jan. 2026

Definition of harassing

Adjective

What started as a routine bike ride home turned into a terrifying fight for survival for Katherine Marroquin on Sunday night.

— Naveen Dhaliwal, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
In Carroll Gardens, says Cavallo, a house on Henry Street, between Carroll and President, is so terrifying some kids have to cross the street.

— Fiorella Valdesolo, Curbed, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of terrifying

Adjective

The second storyline takes place in 2026 and concerns the murder of none other than Hal Jordan, who returned to Rushville as a social pariah after the terrible events that transpired 10 years before.

— Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026
The Eagles are struggling, the Cowboys look terrible, and the Giants don’t have a quarterback.

— OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of terrible

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.

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persecutions

persecutive

persecutor

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Style

“Persecutive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecutive. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of persecutive

adjective

Example Sentences

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