PERSECUTED Synonyms: 171 Similar and Opposite Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

persecuted

2 of 2

verb

past tense of persecute

as in afflicted

to cause persistent suffering to people who were persecuted simply for practicing their religious faith

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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

García Luna pledged to restore independence and public confidence in the Public Ministry and began reviewing cases involving officials, journalists, and others who alleged that they had been politically persecuted under the previous administration. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Aug. 2026 Many Marranos persecuted by the Inquisition did secretly maintain a Jewish identity. — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026 Since mutants are often feared and persecuted, Professor Charles Xavier, one of the most powerful telepaths in the comics canon, opens a School for Gifted Youngsters as a safe haven for young wayward mutants. — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Aug. 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for persecuted

Adjective

All of us artists could stand to be more like Mark, willing to speak out for oppressed people everywhere, even when powerful people try to bully us into silence.

— Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026
Ella is a young woman cursed to obey all instructions whose quest for self-determination also turns her into an advocate for the kingdom’s oppressed elves and ogres.

— Chris Bellamy, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of oppressed

Verb

That was Gardner’s first game with the Colts after being acquired from the New York Jets, and while Indy pulled out the OT victory, Gardner was still annoyed by some of the social media chatter afterward.

— James Boyd, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Millard was either won over by Makowsky’s passion or annoyed into agreement by his persistence.

— Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of annoyed

Verb

Garbage’s set was plagued by technical difficulties, but singer Shirley Manson kept her cool, joking that this was just the kind of thing the band was used to.

— Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 30 Aug. 2026
The research team identified opportunities to improve the atomic layer etching (ALE) approach, which offers significant advantages over the conventional methods but was plagued by difficulties for practical use.

— Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of plagued

Verb

King seemed stranded in a faraway world, tortured by a discomfort that no amount of affection could soothe.

— Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
Hatami has spearheaded a number of high-profile cases against child abusers in Los Angeles, California, including the murder of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez, who was tortured and killed by his mother and her boyfriend.

— Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of tortured

Verb

In recent months, Israeli settlers have repeatedly besieged the village of Qusra, defying orders from the authorities to leave the area and trying to force Palestinian families, some of whom are also American citizens, out.

— Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
There has been a spate of Israeli settler violence in the West Bank, and the village of Qusra has been besieged by Israeli settlers for weeks.

— F. Brinley Bruton, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of besieged

Browse Nearby Words

persecute

persecuted

persecutes

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Persecuted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persecuted. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of persecuted

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

conscientious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes