1
as in to plague
to cause persistent suffering to
people who were persecuted simply for practicing their religious faith
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to annoy
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
she likes to persecute her sister with pointless, annoying questions at very inopportune times
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of persecute
With his penchant for menacing models, black-out contact lenses and jutting shoulders, Owens is also a forever torchbearer for different kinds of beauty, and a safe haven for people who feel persecuted for being outside the norm.
—
Miles Socha, Footwear News, 25 June 2025
The regimes that persecute religious minorities are also the ones that oppress women, LGBTQ people, journalists, and dissidents.
—Nuri Kino, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 June 2025
In a small town in western Ireland, Jamie O’Neill is about to start secondary school, a Catholic school run by a fanatic and filled with plenty of bullies looking for someone just like Jamie to persecute.
—The Know, Denver Post, 1 June 2025
President Trump’s meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa took an unexpected turn Wednesday when Trump showed a video filled with clips putting his counterpart on the spot over claims that white farmers are being persecuted in that country.
—Brett Samuels, The Hill, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for persecute
Miles Socha, Footwear News, 25 June 2025
The regimes that persecute religious minorities are also the ones that oppress women, LGBTQ people, journalists, and dissidents.
—Nuri Kino, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 June 2025
In a small town in western Ireland, Jamie O’Neill is about to start secondary school, a Catholic school run by a fanatic and filled with plenty of bullies looking for someone just like Jamie to persecute.
—The Know, Denver Post, 1 June 2025
President Trump’s meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa took an unexpected turn Wednesday when Trump showed a video filled with clips putting his counterpart on the spot over claims that white farmers are being persecuted in that country.
—Brett Samuels, The Hill, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for persecute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persecute
Verb
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With water crises increasingly plaguing other areas of the country, Central Arkansas is positioning itself as a destination for sustainable economic growth.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
11 July 2025
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Kobe Bufkin, Hawks The rare third-year player showing up at summer league, Bufkin had a rough summer in his 2023 rookie season and has been plagued by injuries ever since, only appearing in 27 games over his first two seasons.—
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
10 July 2025
Verb
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Perhaps Trump just wanted to annoy his counterparts, especially those on the continent.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
14 July 2025
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But Cotton, annoyed by Hank’s indirectness and emotion, browbeats his son.—
Daniel Dockery,
Vulture,
7 July 2025
Verb
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Measles is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable disease caused by a virus that primarily, and most severely, afflicts children.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
9 July 2025
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But the results are admirably smooth, low in acidity, and free of the tannic bitterness that afflicts most quick cold brews.—
Matthew Korfhage,
Wired News,
29 June 2025
Verb
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There’s something delicious about sipping lemonade after a dip in the pool, looking down from the balcony at the day-trippers all hot and bothered below.—
Richard Godwin,
Travel + Leisure,
12 July 2025
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That really bothers me more than anything else; that bothers me more than even being excluded.—
Max Gao,
Variety,
11 July 2025
Verb
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Jon Burge extracted a false confession from Wilson by beating him and torturing him with electrical shocks, according to Wilson’s lawsuit.—
Jake Sheridan,
Chicago Tribune,
10 July 2025
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Some were arrested, some allegedly tortured, others beaten up, even killed, according to Azeri media.—
Melik Kaylan,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
Verb
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Things escalated further as fans began requesting photos and videos, reportedly irritating the R&B star.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
14 July 2025
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According to Valliere, people and pets should avoid coming in contact with several invasive plants in California, including: Certain grasses, which produce long awns and seeds that can irritate skin, get stuck in pets’ fur, and cause discomfort for both animals and humans.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
14 July 2025
Verb
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Mamdani would now have an advantage as the Democratic candidate for mayor in an overwhelmingly Democratic city, in which many feel besieged by President Donald Trump’s aggressive crackdown on undocumented immigrants, his assault on Columbia University, and proposed cuts to social welfare programs.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
26 June 2025
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Los Angeles County’s looming agreement with its biggest labor union is expected to cost a little more than $2 billion over three years — the latest hit to a budget besieged by financial woes.—
Rebecca Ellis,
Los Angeles Times,
24 June 2025
Verb
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Say your mother kept bugging you to change a bad habit.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
11 May 2025
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Next season is when all the little things start to bug me.—
Ryan Schwartz,
TVLine,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Persecute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecute. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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