as in frightening
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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.
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Alaina Vandervoort Burns, The Conversation, 17 Dec. 2025
Alaina Vandervoort Burns, The Conversation, 17 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persecutory
Adjective
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The idea of frightening children into basic courtesy scares Miss Manners.—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Mar. 2026
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Facing the future may mean confronting difficult questions and frightening scenarios.—
Kat McGowan,
NPR,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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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
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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
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Local politicians that previously supported the chorus, either socially or financially, are now fearful of retribution by the governor, Cabrera said.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
1 Apr. 2026
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The American Kennel Club (AKC) emphasizes that helping fearful dogs requires patience and positive reinforcement.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The terrifying cadence of airstrikes shapes daily life in Tehran.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
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But beneath the ice, something terrifying has awakened.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In previous interviews with USA TODAY, experts said the FCC's action could have a chilling effect on television broadcasters’ speech.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
26 Mar. 2026
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The perils of late-stage capitalism and the swerve away from Antihero TV toward toxic yuri make Galsworthy’s chilling protagonist Soames Forsyte quite difficult to root for, really.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Wallner and second baseman Luke Keaschall had a scary collision in the eighth inning on a pop fly to right by Salvador Perez that Keaschall caught.—
David Brown,
Twin Cities,
30 Mar. 2026
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Especially one that features Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Martin Necas, Nazem Kadri, Brock Nelson, Val Nichushkin and Nicolas Roy, all at the same time, a legitimately scary roster that goes four lines and two goaltenders deep.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Tennessee Comptroller Jason Mumpower on April 1 said that only 25% of the forensic audit has been completed, but the deficit findings are alarming.—
Brooke Muckerman,
Memphis Commercial Appeal,
1 Apr. 2026
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The story centers on a blackmail war that ignites at an elite country club after two young employees witness an alarming fight between their boss and his wife.—
Abid Rahman,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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This is going to be a horrible, terrible, no-good, very bad day.—
Nathan Rott,
NPR,
27 Mar. 2026
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In another case, a 10-year-old girl contracted horrible lesions on 10 percent of her body — mostly on her legs — after contact with giant hogweed.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Persecutory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecutory. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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