persecutive

adjective

Definition of persecutivenext
as in frightening

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for persecutive
  1. frightening
  2. persecutory
  3. scary
  4. chilling
  5. harassing
  6. formidable
  7. terrifying
  8. terrible
Adjective
  • The Freedom 250 Grand Prix circuit has proved to be a treacherous one, and that was highlighted in a frightening crash involving a pair of drivers early in the race.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • And because cognition is so closely tied to a person’s sense of competence and identity, those changes can be surprisingly frightening.
    — Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of frightening
Adjective
  • For example, Americans living during World War II developed persecutory delusions involving Germans, while those living during the Cold War focused on communists.
    — Alaina Vandervoort Burns, The Conversation, 17 Dec. 2025
Definition of persecutory
Adjective
  • Not to mention that the shows debuted touring drummer Anika Nilles, taking on the scariest gig imaginable, as well as keyboardist Loren Gold, who expanded the band to a four-piece for the first time.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 23 Aug. 2026
  • In a scary scene at Gillette Stadium on Saturday, Philadelphia Eagles running back Ja’Quinden Jackson lay motionless on the field following the opening kickoff against the New England Patriots.
    — Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of scary
Adjective
  • George Orwell’s dystopian classic blends political and science fiction into a chilling panorama of high-level surveillance and manipulation.
    — Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026
  • In August 2026, Paramount+ revealed that season 4 will premiere in November 2026 and shared a chilling teaser of what’s to come.
    — Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of chilling
Adjective
  • 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
  • The line is crossed when someone’s conduct at work becomes disrespectful, harassing, intimidating, discriminatory, or disruptive to the team.
    — Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
Definition of harassing
Adjective
  • Banks wrote this piece as an ensemble work, not as a showcase for his formidable instrumental prowess.
    — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
  • So does Kevin Reddington, the formidable defense attorney who is representing Clancy in her criminal trial, taking place in Plymouth, which is being live-streamed on the Internet and heavily covered on local news.
    — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of formidable
Adjective
  • Two Fort Worth school district students were placed on the wrong bus home this week, creating what one parent described as a terrifying situation.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The immersive doc captures the duality of an extreme lifestyle with the euphoric highs of intercepting a tornado to the terrifying lows of being overtaken by one inside their vehicle as Timmer pushes his mind and body to the limit.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of terrifying
Adjective
  • That is not saying that her kids are terrible, lazy, ugly, addicted to TikTok, or caught shoplifting at Brandy Melville.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The arena isn’t terrible but is below average by NHL standards.
    — Josh Yohe, New York Times, 19 Aug. 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.

Browse Nearby Words

persecutions
persecutive
persecutor
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Cite this Entry

“Persecutive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecutive. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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