Showing results for "persecuted"

• past participle of persecute.
• past tense form of persecute.

persecuted

American  

[pur-si-kyoo-tid] / ˈpɜr sɪˌkju 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

See Examples For:

persecuted

“I had always hoped that this land might become a safe and agreeable asylum to the virtuous and persecuted part of mankind, to whatever nation they might belong.”

From Salon ● Jul. 1, 2026

The fund was "open to anybody who was so weaponized, targeted, or persecuted, whether they were Democrat, Republican, Conservative, Independent, or otherwise", the DOJ said.

From BBC ● Jun. 1, 2026

Some had been granted the opportunity to stay after proving to immigration judges that they would probably be persecuted if returned to their homeland.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 21, 2026

"Right now everything here is suppressed, everything is persecuted, people are sitting in prisons."

From Barron's ● Feb. 27, 2026

An assemblage of agricultural tribes from the area of East Africa now comprising Tanzania, Malawi, and Mozambique, the Somali Bantu had been persecuted for more than three hundred years.

From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John

Related Words

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