1
as in tormenter
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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
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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Lorincz, who is white, hated loud noise, and called police and first responders multiple times over the years claiming the children were trespassing, bothersome, threatening, and a nuisance.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
17 Oct. 2025
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Establishing a track record of violations could potentially help the city in future civil suits brought against the Eco Motel, or any other property considered a nuisance.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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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
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For decades, generals, coup-plotters, and torturers walked free under the shield of amnesty laws passed after the country’s 21-year dictatorship.—
Julia Vargas Jones,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In an interview with Empire magazine, the actress gave a light tease of the show’s return while discussing her deep attachment to her character, Cassie.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
20 Oct. 2025
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The singer posted a tease of new symphonic music to her Instagram with a video of herself listening to the snippet while holding a rosary in her mouth.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The Democratic National Committee congratulated Mamdani on his win but is hardly sending resources to a race that has drawn annoyance from the typical raft of consultants still trying to figure out what, exactly, the party can sell in the next cycle.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
16 Oct. 2025
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Kate’s annoyance at her decoy agent having bird’s nest hair is a similarly dry delight.—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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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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In addition, pests like those obnoxious mosquitoes will have longer active seasons prior to the beginning of the first freeze.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
22 Oct. 2025
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Grass growing up against tree trunks also potentially attracts pests like voles that may nibble on the apple tree bark.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 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
Cite this Entry
“Persecutor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecutor. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.
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