persecution
Americannoun
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the act of persecuting.
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the state of being persecuted.
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a program or campaign to exterminate, drive away, or subjugate people based on their membership in a religious, ethnic, social, or racial group.
the persecutions of Christians by the Romans.
noun
Usage
What does persecution mean? Persecution is the act of harassing or oppressing a person or a group of people, especially because of their identity. Throughout history, people have faced persecution because of their religion, race, ethnicity, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and many other factors. Example: People have been using the forum to call attention to the ongoing persecution of Muslims.
Other Word Forms
- nonpersecution noun
- persecutional adjective
Etymology
Origin of persecution
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English persecucio(u)n, from Late Latin persecūtiōn-, stem of persecūtiō (in Latin: “prosecution”), from Latin persecūt(us) “followed thoroughly, prosecuted” (past participle of persequī “to follow thoroughly, prosecute”; persecute ) + -iō -ion
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.
One of those Individuals who would face persecution if their identities became known to their own government.
From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026
Some are then shipped back to their countries of origin — including, in some cases, people who have demonstrated that they face possible persecution there.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 21, 2026
Nurul Amin Shah Alam crossed the world to flee profound persecution.
From Slate • Mar. 19, 2026
After having lived through decades of war in their own country, and having escaped the possibility of reprisal and persecution there, the Afghan evacuees are now caught in another nightmare.
From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026
Europe’s fragmentation did, and China’s unity didn’t, foster the advance of technology, science, and capitalism by fostering competition between states and providing innovators with alternative sources of support and havens from persecution.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
