persecutory

adjective

as in frightening

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of persecutory 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persecutory
  1. frightening
  2. harassing
  3. fearful
  4. terrifying
  5. chilling
  6. scary
  7. alarming
  8. horrible
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
  • 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
  • Katz said the rapid and steep rate movements give investors a chance to buy from the fearful and sell to the greedy.
    — Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2026
  • During the occupation, families in Izium frequently lived without electricity, gas, heat, and water, and most kept their kids off the street, fearful of the Russian military presence.
    — Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of fearful
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
  • 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
  • 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
  • The kind of life admin tasks like swim lesson sign-ups and appointment confirmations that pile up with alarming frequency in a house of one preschool-age kid and two adults with full-time jobs.
    — Allison Johnson, The Verge, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Those numbers are enough to be alarming, but the advanced numbers give even more context.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of alarming
Adjective
  • Despite the identically horrible records, these teams are in different places.
    — Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 9 Oct. 2026
  • In all, the Dodgers drowned out that horrible tomahawk chop with some mighty hacks of their own, winning 3-1 while finally displaying some of the desperation that had been missing.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of horrible

Browse Nearby Words

persecutors
persecutory
perseverance
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Cite this Entry

“Persecutory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecutory. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

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