persecute
Americanverb (used with object)
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persecutes,
present (3rd person singular)
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persecuted,
past participle, past
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persecuting
present participle
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to pursue with harassing or oppressive treatment, especially because of religious or political beliefs, ethnic or racial origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
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to annoy or trouble persistently.
verb
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to oppress, harass, or maltreat, esp because of race, religion, etc
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to bother persistently
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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persecutivenessnoun
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persecutornoun
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overpersecuteverb (used with object)
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nonpersecutingadjective
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nonpersecutiveadjective
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nonpersecutoryadjective
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persecutiveadjective
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persecutoryadjective
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unpersecutingadjective
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unpersecutiveadjective
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persecutinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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persecutesimple
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persecutessimple
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have persecutedperfect
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has persecutedperfect
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am persecutingprogressive
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are persecutingprogressive
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is persecutingprogressive
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have been persecutingperfect progressive
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has been persecutingperfect progressive
Past
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persecutedsimple
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had persecutedperfect
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was persecutingprogressive
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were persecutingprogressive
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had been persecutingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of persecute
First recorded in 1400–50; Late Middle English; back formation from persecutour “persecutor,” ultimately from Late Latin persecūtor originally “prosecutor,” equivalent to persecū-, variant stem of persequī “to prosecute, pursue closely” + -tor; see origin at per-, sequence, -tor
Explanation
To persecute is to make someone suffer or to keep them in bad circumstances. In some parts of the world governments or military groups persecute, or punish, people for religious beliefs, often sending them to prisons or work camps. You can use the verb persecute to talk about abusive acts against a person or group of people. Persecute is usually used to specify the harm done to a particular group, as when a person is persecuted for his affiliation with a religious group. Those born of a certain race or culture can be targets too. Adolf Hitler became notorious for his orders to persecute the Jewish people.
Vocabulary lists containing persecute
Grade 9, List 3
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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.
See Examples For:
It has many tools to persecute people who exercise or facilitate reproductive freedom within its borders.
From Slate ● May 15, 2026
John Adams pushed Congress in 1798 to pass the Alien and Sedition Acts, measures that allowed the government to deport and otherwise persecute critics of the administration.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 8, 2026
“Throughout the Scripture, there are two kinds of leaders: those who persecute faith communities and those who protect them,” she said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 25, 2026
Nigeria and North Korea top the list of the nations that most persecute Christians, according to International Christian Concern.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 2, 2023
The people she chose, young and old, from the rich part of town or the more modest streets, did not individually persecute Cora.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
It must send an unequivocal message that the United States will not supply weapons to military and security services whose leadership persecutes journalists and activists.
From Slate ● Feb. 26, 2021
While Emperor Domitian persecutes the Christians, the aged apostle John has prophetic visions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 8, 2019
In the Bible, Saul persecutes Christians before he has a conversion experience on the road to Damascus and becomes the apostle Paul.
From The New Yorker ● Sep. 11, 2018
When Americans hear about “tribalism,” they often imagine a faraway land where one ethnic or religious faction mercilessly persecutes another for generations.
From New York Times ● Jun. 26, 2018
To the third and fourth generation, misfortune, when it begins—the reason of its beginning is the wickedness of one man—still persecutes and follows the family.'
From The Ivory Gate, a new edition by Sir Walter Besant
The administration says it seeks assurances from those countries that the deported persons will not be not be abused or persecuted, but it refuses hearings for individuals.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2026
And a Black athlete empowered to stand for Black people is an athlete who should expect to be persecuted, like Curt Flood, whom Kaepernick mentioned.
From Salon ● Sep. 29, 2026
The property is known for its priest holes and secret hiding places, which were used to shelter persecuted Catholics during the 1590s.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
Not all Shias saw Khamenei as their principal religious guide, but he became widely respected as a clerical authority and for standing up for a sect that has historically felt persecuted.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
His poor, mad, brooding eyes glared in the moonlight, shone against the persecuted darkness of his scowling brow.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
Rome’s shift from persecuting Christians to forming partnerships with them helped stabilize a weakened political order and opened a new era in the empire’s history.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
This is a declaration that faith is not on the side of persecuting the most vulnerable communities.
From Slate ● Feb. 27, 2026
Sir Ed Davey said the government should be supporting carers "not persecuting them".
From BBC ● May 22, 2024
But they became giants in an era when employers were effectively free to pull out all the stops in blocking and, in some cases, persecuting union organizers.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 28, 2024
“Lance, have you heard the news? A messenger has just arrived to say that this girl who is persecuting you is on her way to court, bringing the baby. She will be here this evening.”
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
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