martyrdom

noun

mar·​tyr·​dom ˈmär-tər-dəm 

1

: the suffering of death on account of adherence to a cause and especially to one's religious faith

… defended moral truth even to the point of enduring martyrdom …

—Andrew Sullivan

2

: affliction, torture

Examples of martyrdom in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This Gilded Age rule—that those who act violently against individuals inherit the mantle of religious martyrdom, while those who act practically to improve a system are dismissed as impotent proceduralists—is visible in the continued appeal of the anarchist imagination. —Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025

Fiona Shaw, as the needling mother who controls her daughter with a combination of martyrdom and mockery, is truly extraordinary. —Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 14 Feb. 2025

His death at the hands of Israel was considered by followers an inevitable martyrdom. —Jane Arraf, NPR, 23 Feb. 2025

His prison diary, featured in the book, reads like a journey into martyrdom. —Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

martyrdom

noun

mar·​tyr·​dom ˈmärt-ərd-əm 

1

: the sufferings and death of a martyr

2

: torment entry 1 sense 1