persecutive

adjective

Definition of persecutivenext
as in frightening

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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
  • Doyle has played all kinds of frightening characters in his five years at Markoff's.
    — Ayesha Rascoe, NPR, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The trailer for the movie, which includes a particularly frightening jump scare from Chastain as Other Mommy, went viral online after playing in front of theatrical screenings.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 9 Oct. 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
  • The Rangers announced the devastating news on Saturday following a scary injury in which the 30-year-old’s right skate jammed into the post while gliding across his crease in the first period.
    — Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Watching her film in the water was one of the scariest moments as a mom, because the tank was pitch black.
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of scary
Adjective
  • But just as memorable as Drew Barrymore’s gut-wrenching opening scene was Marco Beltrami’s chilling score, one that heightened the suspense and terror at every turn.
    — Scott Shilstone, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
  • An Iowa man accused of opening fire on passing vehicles along an interstate and wounding a woman allegedly made a chilling admission to police after his arrest, according to court documents.
    — Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 7 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
  • Community supporter and legal advocate Over decades in South Florida, Klock earned a reputation as a formidable advocate, a mentor to younger lawyers and a steadfast supporter of the community.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The original recipe was two parts apple brandy to one part each of the liqueurs, giving this cocktail a quotient of sweetness that even its formidable alcohol content can’t quite tame.
    — Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of formidable
Adjective
  • As an actress, a character like that was thrilling and terrifying.
    — William Earl, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Alas, Hersh was to miss the flight because he was still being held hostage, starving, tortured, and surviving on that date in terrifying confinement.
    — Rachel Goldberg-Polin, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of terrifying
Adjective
  • And then none of it mattered because his special teams bailed him out with a big kick return (thanks to a terrible decision by Eagles coach Nick Sirianni to even allow a kick return in the first place) followed by a walk-off field goal.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The story follows the transformation of Adriana (Colin), a woman shattered by a terrible murder and who discovers the strength to start over, driven by an unquenchable thirst for justice.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 11 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.

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 13 Oct. 2026.

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