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
  • However, changing the Social Security formula to a means-testing base, and applying it immediately to all existing Social Security recipients, is a frightening idea.
    — U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 July 2026
  • Panettiere's pregnancy was marked by a series of frightening health scares.
    — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 20 July 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
  • Team members can feel disconnected and fearful that the new boss will damage their existing culture and maybe even eliminate their roles, as with outsourcing to AI.
    — Liz Guthridge, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • The facing page depicts a mother, fearful, sneaking away to protect her new child.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 July 2026
Definition of fearful
Adjective
  • View gallery - 5 images What sounds more terrifying than a part-cockroach, part-robot cyborg?
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 July 2026
  • One of the most terrifying aspects of being a teen is the continuous change.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 17 July 2026
Definition of terrifying
Adjective
  • That chilling effect, of course, is precisely what Trump is after.
    — Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 18 July 2026
  • Republican officials are treating this chilling rant as little more than an annoying distraction.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026
Definition of chilling
Adjective
  • Penned by Aguirre-Sacasa based on the Archie Comics characters, Afterlife with Archie turns the all-American town of Riverdale into a zombie-overrun apocalypse — where the only thing scarier than the undead is trying to survive your teenage years.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 20 July 2026
  • Scary allegations are not the whole story If voters listened to Trump’s speech without the benefits of fact-checkers or even Google, things sound really, really scary.
    — Philip Elliott, Time, 17 July 2026
Definition of scary
Adjective
  • Ghio’s letter detailed alarming declines in the quality of casework at the agency, including a decline in how often child welfare workers make home visits, supervision of workers and how quickly work on a case begins.
    — Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2026
  • In November 1966, New York City also experienced its most alarming smog on record.
    — Rebecca Florsheim, STAT, 17 July 2026
Definition of alarming
Adjective
  • My husband holds the pamphlet close to his face in bed the next morning, my light creating a horrible glare on the glossy paper.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
  • The family wants to have accountability for this horrible crime.
    — Eric Shawn, FOXNews.com, 18 July 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 21 Jul. 2026.

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