persecuted 1 of 2

adjective

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

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persecuted

2 of 2

verb

past tense of persecute
1
as in afflicted
to cause persistent suffering to people who were persecuted simply for practicing their religious faith

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 persecuted
Verb
Although the two programs similarly target humanitarian concerns, being a TPS holder does not guarantee asylum, which requires that applicants prove they’ve been persecuted on specific grounds. — Cameron Pugh, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Aug. 2026 In The Bacchae, Dionysus becomes violent only because his existence has been denied and his followers persecuted, and his maenads similarly become destructive only when pursued. — Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 31 July 2026 Germany and Austria have unique programs that offer citizenship to the descendants of anyone who was persecuted or feared persecution by the Nazi regime between 1933 and 1945. — Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 July 2026 The wild beasts of the wilderness were thus feared, revered—and persecuted. — Literary Hub, 30 July 2026 However, the Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Iran – which laid out a long-term pathway to peace – made no mention of protesters, persecuted dissidents or human rights. — Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 28 July 2026 The Chinese government denies the Uyghurs have been or are being persecuted. — ABC News, 24 July 2026 As a senator, Marco Rubio was a strong supporter of the bureau and human rights broadly, once arguing from the Senate floor that safeguarding the freedoms of gay men who were persecuted in Chechnya — and all people — was in the national interest. — Anna Maria Barry-Jester, ProPublica, 17 July 2026 Also on Wednesday, Blume returned a Pablo Picasso bust, Fernande/Beatrice (1905), to the descendants of German-Jewish dealer Alfred Flechtheim, who was persecuted by the Reich, reports TAN. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 16 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persecuted
  1. oppressed
  2. afflicted
  3. annoyed
  4. plagued
  5. bothered
  6. tortured
  7. irritated
  8. besieged
Adjective
  • Bellucci plays Giulio’s mother in an aristocratic Sicilian family that leaves her feeling oppressed.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 8 Aug. 2026
  • At the end, there’s a message in the credits which says that this film is dedicated to those who are oppressed and that your time will come.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 13 July 2026
Definition of oppressed
Verb
  • Repeat this process once the soil has dried again, until affected plants are no longer afflicted with pests.
    — Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Blending horror with comedy, the Apple TV show takes place in a fictitious New England island town afflicted by a centuries-old curse that brings about supernatural evils.
    — Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 31 July 2026
Definition of afflicted
Verb
  • Gen is annoyed that Joy is still entertaining Luke via texts and video chats.
    — Emma Soren, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Not too much bugs him, but he sometimes is annoyed by his baby sister and doesn’t trust people who put pineapple on their pizza.
    — Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of annoyed
Verb
  • Ireland’s museum sector is reportedly plagued by precarious contracts, low pay, unpaid labor, and toxic workplace cultures, driving burnout, excluding talent, and risking the loss of vital institutional knowledge.
    — George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Trump has consistently blamed vandals for the botched renovation of the Reflecting Pool, which has been plagued by a peeling liner and resurfacing algae.
    — Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of plagued
Verb
  • That bothered Duncan, because direct attack can be dangerous in extreme fire conditions.
    — Murphy Woodhouse, NPR, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Brown was asked Thursday what bothered him about the process.
    — Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of bothered
Verb
  • Lebson and Richards ⁠denied that ​allegation, saying that Robert Gilman was held in extremely harsh conditions, tortured and injected with mind-altering drugs by guards, treatment ​that led to his transfer to the civilian hospital.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Prior to Tae-ha’s arrival, Eun-sae was tortured by Sang-gil and his men.
    — Kayti Burt, Time, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of tortured
Verb
  • But the idea has irritated California’s billionaire class, and some have left the state in protest or threatened to do so.
    — Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 29 June 2026
  • Hasslers, the researchers found, tended to be people who irritated the study respondents but whom the respondents could not escape.
    — Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 15 June 2026
Definition of irritated
Verb
  • And yet, besieged by the same afflictions of greed, self-interest and a comical inability to work together, horse racing is doing its damndest to similarly mess up its very good thing.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The staff means business, with the host stand besieged by walk-ins, take-out orders, and impatient guests waiting outside.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 July 2026
Definition of besieged

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Cite this Entry

“Persecuted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecuted. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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