as in oppressed
suffering grave abuse or injustice at the hands of one in authority
a nation that is still regarded as a refuge for persecuted people from around the world
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in afflicted
to cause persistent suffering to
people who were persecuted simply for practicing their religious faith
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in annoyed
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persecuted
Adjective
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For the lower classes, the Reformation promised to break up not just the spiritual monopoly held by the Catholic Church but the entrenched feudal system that kept them oppressed.—
Michael Bruening,
The Conversation,
25 Feb. 2025 -
What is certain is that this impassioned novel has made a case for a kind of epic where the fate of a nation depends on its most oppressed identities.—
Siddhartha Deb,
New York Times,
10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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For example, the same researchers at Cornell University who invented the new goggles have previously shown a reduction in blood flow in the brains of mice afflicted with the condition.—
Michael Franco,
New Atlas,
29 Dec. 2024
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Terrified, the patient almost reflexively asked her surgeon to remove both of her breasts, even though the cancer afflicted only one side.—
Angie Leventis Lourgos,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Big, sometimes uncontrollable emotions are a normal part of growing up, and gentle parents at least try to not dismiss their or get annoyed with their kids when those challenging moments come up.—
Alex Vance,
Parents,
27 Dec. 2024
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Initially annoyed by his bubbly personality, Jovie eventually warms up to Buddy, and the pair fall in love.—
Skyler Caruso,
People.com,
21 Dec. 2024
Verb
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With the exception of the Russell 2000, which gained 1%, none of the major indices bothered to get out of bed the day after Christmas.—
JJ Kinahan,
Forbes,
27 Dec. 2024
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The technology behind an LLM is sufficiently advanced because the people using it have not bothered to understand it.—
Elizabeth Lopatto,
The Verge,
23 Dec. 2024
Verb
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After jumping out to a 9-2 start this season, the Phoenix Suns have sputtered over the past month as injuries have besieged their Big Three.—
Bryan Toporek,
Forbes,
26 Dec. 2024
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The wealthiest man in the world used his social media platform X to amplify the unrest, and GOP lawmakers were besieged with phone calls to their offices telling them to oppose the plan.—
Lisa Mascaro and Kevin Freking,
The Christian Science Monitor,
20 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Two months after the end of the Korean War, the United States signed a bilateral mutual security treaty with South Korea in which Washington committed to come to Seoul’s aid if it were attacked.—
Samuel Charap,
Foreign Affairs,
24 Dec. 2024
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Caretakers at All Things Wild Rehabilitation believe that Polly, a 1-year-old Pekin duck who's missing part of her bill, was dumped at a pond by her former owner and attacked by a snapping turtle.—
Natalie Escobar,
NPR,
24 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Persecuted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecuted. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
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