as in frightening
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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
Alaina Vandervoort Burns, The Conversation, 17 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persecutory
Adjective
-
And for Slusser, born and raised as a Christian in Texas, just a year and a half living in Northern California had taken a frightening toll.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Protests that kind of were merging toward violence or at least frightening to our diplomats.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
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
Adjective
-
Residents in the capital told ABC News the streets were quiet on Monday, with many people having left or else sheltering indoors fearful of airstrikes.—
Patrick Reevell,
ABC News,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The other aunt, who does not have children, is in hiding — fearful to approach her front door and risk being seen.—
Anna Heqimi,
Hartford Courant,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Lisa Piper stood on her back deck and took video of a terrifying scene that played out on the other side of frozen Union Lake as a funnel cloud formed and then dropped toward the ground Friday.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Lisa Piper stood on her back deck and took video of a terrifying scene that played out on the other side of frozen Union Lake as a funnel cloud formed and then dropped toward the ground.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Once the flowers and foliage fade, the bulbs should be dug up from the garden, allowed to dry, and stored until the fall to begin the chilling process again.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
6 Mar. 2026
-
In addition, staff writer Eric Sondheimer placed in the top 10 for short features for his report highlighting the chilling impact ICE raids had on high school football workouts.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
It’s been scary being a part of these franchises with big followings for such a long time.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Mar. 2026
-
But John is, as established, too dense to be truly affected by any scary woman.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
As Iran targets ships with missiles and drones, even attempting to navigate the strategic waterway is currently unthinkable — with alarming ramifications for the global economy.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Like, is my $130 a week average for my family of four admirable or alarming?—
Allyson Reedy,
Denver Post,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
After the horrible murder of Rob Reiner and his wife, legions of fans revisited to the director’s films, and this is one of his best.—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
5 Mar. 2026
-
But today, the building is in horrible shape.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Persecutory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecutory. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
