persecuted

American  

[pur-si-kyoo-tid] / ˈpɜr sɪˌkyu tɪd /

adjective

1. persistently harassed or oppressed, especially because of religious or political beliefs, ethnic or racial origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation.

   Having been raised in a frequently persecuted faith, the idea of any state religion makes me very nervous.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of persecute.

Other Word Forms

• unpersecuted adjective

Etymology

Origin of persecuted

persecute ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

Many people come to the border seeking asylum, a formal process under which eligible migrants ask the government for legal protections after fleeing places where they believe they would be persecuted or tortured upon returning.

From The Wall Street Journal

Unlike my recent trips there this one wasn’t interrupted by mass demonstrations on behalf of persecuted Muslims.

From The Wall Street Journal

Roman North Africa went from a place where Christians were persecuted to a region known for its devotion.

From The Wall Street Journal

In Perpetua’s lifetime, Christians were a tiny and sometimes persecuted minority, but after the conversion of Emperor Constantine in the early fourth century, the Roman Empire came under Christian rule.

From The Wall Street Journal

Mary asserts her right to the English crown and her belief that she was being persecuted for her Catholic faith.

From BBC

Related Words

• abused
• destitute
• distressed
• enslaved
• exploited
• helpless