PERSECUTORY Synonyms: 62 Similar and Opposite Words

persecutory

adjective

as in frightening

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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

Adjective

But the ordeal was frightening and bewildering for Cliffel, who still didn't know what had caused her behavior.

— Deborah Becker, NPR, 16 Aug. 2026
There’s a frightening imbalance in how the mainstream media report on these candidates, which tends to take it pretty easy on the latter.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of frightening

Adjective

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
The line is crossed when someone’s conduct at work becomes disrespectful, harassing, intimidating, discriminatory, or disruptive to the team.

— Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025

Definition of harassing

Adjective

After the crew leaves the island with the sun god’s cattle, the seas are vicious, scary, and violent.

— Wisdom Iheanyichukwu, Vanity Fair, 17 Aug. 2026
The 13-year-old has his life back after a scary ordeal with epilepsy that seemed to come out of nowhere three years ago.

— Stephanie Stahl, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of scary

Adjective

Amir Becker, Dream’s chief business and strategy officer, said the way the AI system operated in this latest case was alarming.

— John Liu, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
So one of these two costs is fully visible and the other never has been, which is the entire reason a compute bill that is small next to engineering payroll still feels alarming.

— Sanjay Srivastava, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of alarming

Adjective

Whatever cloud of innocence has hung over Jo’s life until this point is shattered, both parents struggling how to navigate the horrible experience from an emotional as well as a purely bureaucratic perspective.

— Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
After years of seeing enough photos of fabulous wealth and horrible tragedy, these types of images cease to shock us.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of horrible

Browse Nearby Words

persecutors

persecutory

perseverance

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“Persecutory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecutory. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of persecutory

adjective

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