as in harassment
something that causes mental distress
The media's constant persecution was beginning to affect their lives.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 persecution
The Nigerian government has denied that the country allows religious persecution, and analysts say large numbers of Muslims and Christians have been harmed by insurgency in northern Nigeria.
—
Joe Walsh, CBS News, 16 May 2026
Despite the focus on trade and geopolitical tensions, survivors of China’s religious persecution are urging the administration not to sideline Beijing’s crackdown on religious groups and dissidents.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026
Jewish citizens, however, faced persecution both before and after the war, as Soviet authorities clamped down on Jewish life in the form of arrests, arson, or other violent antisemitic incidents, which continued into the 1960s.
—Shirley Halperin, Rolling Stone, 14 May 2026
The hearings repeatedly pointed to senior Venezuelan officials as politically responsible for the persecution campaign, including Maduro, National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez —Delcy Rodriguez’s brother — and González López.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for persecution
Joe Walsh, CBS News, 16 May 2026
Despite the focus on trade and geopolitical tensions, survivors of China’s religious persecution are urging the administration not to sideline Beijing’s crackdown on religious groups and dissidents.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026
Jewish citizens, however, faced persecution both before and after the war, as Soviet authorities clamped down on Jewish life in the form of arrests, arson, or other violent antisemitic incidents, which continued into the 1960s.
—Shirley Halperin, Rolling Stone, 14 May 2026
The hearings repeatedly pointed to senior Venezuelan officials as politically responsible for the persecution campaign, including Maduro, National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez —Delcy Rodriguez’s brother — and González López.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for persecution
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persecution
Noun
-
During a news conference Thursday, members of the group said the early morning operation was part of an ongoing campaign of harassment, including members being followed home and prank calls on their hotline.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 May 2026
-
The most common reasons cited for detransition were pressure from a parent, harassment or discrimination, and that transitioning was too hard.—
Jo Yurcaba,
NBC news,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
In the years since, Danny struggled with anger problems that pushed his ex-wife away and left him estranged from his son.—
Britt Hayes,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 May 2026
-
Hannah’s onscreen lover, Garrett, struggles with anger issues stemming from childhood trauma and an abusive father.—
Kenneal Patterson,
Vanity Fair,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
The cream is marketed to help relieve eczema symptoms including itching, dryness, redness, cracking and irritation.—
Angelique Brenes,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
-
In animal studies, the system reduced blood pressure levels while avoiding much of the irritation and tissue damage associated with traditional implants.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Persecution.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecution. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
