persecuted

American

[pur-si-kyoo-tid] / ˈpɜr sɪˌkyu tɪd /

adjective

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.

verb

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

She persecuted law firms and universities and journalists.

From Slate • Apr. 3, 2026

They have a long history of being persecuted and betrayed.

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026

Her new collection pays tribute to women persecuted during historical witch hunts.

From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026

“This is also a film about infamy, because he’s being persecuted so unfairly. He gets killed, and then they killed him again because they killed his reputation,” Moura notes.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 9, 2026

Did Janice feel persecuted inside prison because of who he was?

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023