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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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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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Situations like this are certainly a nuisance, but the quickest way to cause animosity with your neighbors is to come between them and their sleep.—
Libby Monteith Minor,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
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While many consider the mammal a nuisance for raiding garbage cans and damaging property, raccoons can also carry diseases, and they probably shouldn't be kept as housepets.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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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
-
Is the man actually his torturer?—
Zach Dennis,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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That’s quite a tease, not to mention a lot of pressure to put on her 12th release.—
Shannon Carlin,
Time,
1 Oct. 2025
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Living together in the Fear House, a group of strangers face OMG stunts, challenges, and a twisted game of social strategy, Banijay teases.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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As the seasons go on, Barbra charms her way from Reba's biggest annoyance to being her best friend.—
Eric King,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Oct. 2025
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There’s a general mood of annoyance, more so with the police and the stewards rather than the defeat itself.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
2 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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Insect pests of camellias include tea scales and aphids, both of which produce a waste product called honeydew that encourages sooty mold on the foliage.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
1 Oct. 2025
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And then defensively, just try to be pests, try to create turnovers, which kind of helps our offense.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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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
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Thornton uses a wheelchair, and here his Lucky is guided by his tormentor.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Persecutor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecutor. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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