as in harassment
something that causes mental distress
The media's constant persecution was beginning to affect their lives.
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Recent Examples of persecution
Machado accused authorities of kidnapping Guanipa with heavily armed men in civilian clothes, raising fresh concerns about political persecution despite recent prisoner releases.
—
Regina Garcia Cano, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Because the government has halted refugee programs, with a few exceptions, IRIS has no new refugees – people who have been forced to flee their homes due to war, violence or persecution – to help settle.
—Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 7 Feb. 2026
Pope Leo marked Holocaust Remembrance Day with a forceful plea for a world free of antisemitism, prejudice, and persecution.
—Staff, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
The ship set sail carrying Jewish refugees seeking safety in Cuba from Nazi persecution.
—Mary Damiano, Miami Herald, 2 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for persecution
Regina Garcia Cano, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Because the government has halted refugee programs, with a few exceptions, IRIS has no new refugees – people who have been forced to flee their homes due to war, violence or persecution – to help settle.
—Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 7 Feb. 2026
Pope Leo marked Holocaust Remembrance Day with a forceful plea for a world free of antisemitism, prejudice, and persecution.
—Staff, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
The ship set sail carrying Jewish refugees seeking safety in Cuba from Nazi persecution.
—Mary Damiano, Miami Herald, 2 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for persecution
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persecution
Noun
-
If attackers ever gain access to that kind of information, the fallout can include harassment, blackmail or identity theft.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Laws in some countries, including the UK and America, generally allow the filming of people in public spaces without their consent, although exceptions including harassment apply.—
Ivana Scatola,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The manipulations also affected how much sadness and anger participants reported feeling while scrolling.—
Simon Makin,
Scientific American,
13 Feb. 2026
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Meanwhile, Iran at home faces still-simmering anger over its wide-ranging suppression of all dissent in the Islamic Republic.—
Jon Gambrell,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Signs that a neti pot may be dirty or causing issues for another reason include persistent nasal irritation, worsening congestion, frequent nosebleeds or the development of sinus infections.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
-
As the drinks went down, mutual irritation rose.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Persecution.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecution. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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