as in attacks
to kill (someone) for refusing to give up a belief or cause
—usually used as (be) martyred
He was martyred for his religious beliefs.
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for martyrs
Verb
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An autoimmune disease is a chronic condition in which part of your immune system mistakenly attacks part of your own body.—
Ruth Jessen Hickman,
Health,
10 Feb. 2026 -
After learning that Casper had been diagnosed with Guillain Barré Syndrome, a condition in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves, Aidan Oldenburg, Ben Richardson and Luc Violette needed somebody with experience that could help them in the interim.—
Dane Mizutani,
Twin Cities,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Still, Marvin Alexander said the impact their music has on listeners makes the sacrifices worthwhile.—
Mars Salazar,
Austin American Statesman,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Despite limited resources, his mother, Hetty Wang, recognized his talent and made huge sacrifices to support his dream.—
Ashlee Conour,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The retrospection tortures her.—
Alexandra Rockey Fleming,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
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Later, in one of the movie's most satisfying scenes, Millie locks Andrew in the attic and tortures him by loudly smashing each plate.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Dec. 2025
Noun
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The public and private markets have decided that infrastructure companies and the top model developers are the AI winners, while software companies are the likely losers, regardless of how strong their businesses may look today.—
Jordan Novet,
CNBC,
5 Feb. 2026
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Investors are starting to pick AI winners and losers.—
John Kell,
Fortune,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That fear that torments families.—
Morgan Phillips,
FOXNews.com,
15 Dec. 2025
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Decades before Pennywise torments the Loser's Club, members of the Maine Legion of White Decency, a white supremacist group, set fire to the Black Spot, a military speakeasy catering to Black patrons, with all of its revelers trapped inside.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Dec. 2025
Verb
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In Russia, the civilian repressive apparatus persecutes the military, which leaps at every chance for revenge.—
Stephen Kotkin,
Foreign Affairs,
16 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The damned disease especially plagues Mexican American men like me, and many aren’t getting screened.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
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Similarly, programs that encourage regular movement and mental breaks help mitigate the burnout that often plagues high-growth teams.—
Serenity Gibbons,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Her first concern, Bloor said, was getting the family dogs out of the room before anything escalated.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
18 Jan. 2026
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Therapy dogs with the nonprofit also help children learn to read and assist in clinical therapy settings.—
Kelli Bender,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Martyrs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/martyrs. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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