1
as in torturer
a person who causes repeated emotional pain, distress, or annoyance to another
years later his schoolyard persecutor would end up being one of his low-paid employees
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nuisance
one who is obnoxiously annoying
on this flight my airline-appointed persecutor was a chattering nitwit who could not stop talking about himself
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Recent Examples of persecutor
Amish are part of the wider Anabaptist movement, which puts heavy emphasis on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, containing some of his most radical and counter-cultural sayings — to love enemies, live simply, bless persecutors, turn the other cheek and to endure sufferings joyfully.
—
Dave Smith, Fortune, 30 Oct. 2025
The grounds once housed the elaborate palace of first century Roman Emperor Domitian, a persecutor of Christians.
—Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
That is a nasty process which involves digging up Ambar’s still-fresh corpse, then subjecting it to various grisly indignities night after night as retribution gets visited upon our heroine’s persecutors.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 6 Aug. 2025
Using it to describe this week’s attack on Huwara – or other similar attacks in Israel or Palestine – effectively puts Israel in the place of the Jews’ historic persecutors.
—Joshua Shanes, The Conversation, 6 Mar. 2023
Dave Smith, Fortune, 30 Oct. 2025
The grounds once housed the elaborate palace of first century Roman Emperor Domitian, a persecutor of Christians.
—Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
That is a nasty process which involves digging up Ambar’s still-fresh corpse, then subjecting it to various grisly indignities night after night as retribution gets visited upon our heroine’s persecutors.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 6 Aug. 2025
Using it to describe this week’s attack on Huwara – or other similar attacks in Israel or Palestine – effectively puts Israel in the place of the Jews’ historic persecutors.
—Joshua Shanes, The Conversation, 6 Mar. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persecutor
Noun
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It might have been produced, and not merely set, in a torturer’s basement.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Simply the possibility of taking some kind of revenge on the man who may or may not have been their torturer suddenly becomes an existential fact each person must confront in his or her own way.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In Shea Carney's house, those beverage bottles and cans eligible for a 10-cent deposit return have become more of a nuisance than a useful income boost.—
Keith Matheny,
Freep.com,
30 Oct. 2025
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South Milwaukee requires exotic or wild animal owners to get a permit from the City Health Department, which can be denied if the animal poses a danger or nuisance.—
Quinn Clark,
jsonline.com,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The follow-up tease showed someone holding a bunch of wires, insinuating that her costume likely has some animatronics involved.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Nov. 2025
-
The label on this one is like a tease.—
Jolene Thym,
Mercury News,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Initially, the Kruegers complained to police, but were told there was nothing the authorities could do unless the harasser tried to harm them physically.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
3 Nov. 2025
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The documentary tells the true story of a teenage couple relentlessly bullied via text by an anonymous harasser.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
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But that conspiracy tends to manifest in the form of universal contemporary annoyances.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
30 Oct. 2025
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Above-Mount and Vessel Sinks What can look like an impressive statement design decision can quickly become a daily annoyance.—
Lauren Bengtson,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The mind could wander briefly about the Giants riding a two-game winning streak into a Thursday Night Football matchup with the Eagles, equipped to knock off their tormentors who suddenly look vulnerable.—
Dan Duggan,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
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On the Met’s stage, the writer — called, say, Jamal Khashoggi — would be sung by a heroic tenor, his tormentor by a demonic baritone.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Daylilies are sometimes plagued by pests like thrips, slugs, aphids, Japanese beetles, and spider mites.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Nov. 2025
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Mattresses And Futons Mattresses, box springs, and futons are often contaminated with allergens and pests like bedbugs.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Even if online shaming continues, this accountability will make sure that the victimizer will face social consequences as well.—
Eli Thompson,
Rolling Stone,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Persecutor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecutor. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
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