persecute
- to pursue with harassing or oppressive treatment, especially because of religious or political beliefs, ethnic or racial origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
- to annoy or trouble persistently.
Origin of persecute
Synonyms for persecute
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comRelated Words for persecute
torture, expel, pursue, injure, maltreat, harass, outrage, molest, hound, oppress, victimize, crucify, bait, distress, afflict, exile, martyr, worry, badger, hectorExamples from the Web for persecute
Contemporary Examples of persecute
Putin would use such a treaty to persecute innocent Russians who have escaped his grasp by fleeing the country.
Not because I think that Obama called Doug Shulman into his office to tell him to persecute the Tea Party.
Yet one of the things it has oppressed is the desire of local majorities to persecute local minorities.
But, then, lacking a solid core, projectors like Gingrich secretly lust after the identities of the people they persecute.
We are also keenly aware of the fact that states routinely use a wide range of charges to persecute the press.
Historical Examples of persecute
Pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.
An Explanation of Luther's Small CatechismJoseph Stump
With your lying tongue you have changed her into a demon to persecute me!
Green MansionsW. H. Hudson
If they have hated me they will hate you also; if they have persecuted me they will persecute you.'
The Works of Whittier, Volume V (of VII)John Greenleaf Whittier
They may beat me and persecute me, but I will never deny my God.
The Cat of BubastesG. A. Henty
Badges of honor; since to be persecuted is nobler than to persecute.
Dreamers of the GhettoI. Zangwill
persecute
- to oppress, harass, or maltreat, esp because of race, religion, etc
- to bother persistently
Word Origin for persecute
Word Origin and History for persecute
mid-15c., "to oppress for the holding of a belief or opinion," from Middle French persécuter "pursue, torment, open legal action" (14c.), from Latin persecutus, past participle of persequi "to pursue" (see persecution). Related: Persecuted; persecuting.