persecution
noun
per·se·cu·tion
ˌpər-si-ˈkyü-shən 
1
: the act or practice of persecuting especially those who differ in origin, religion, or social outlook
2
: the condition of being persecuted, harassed, or annoyed
Examples of persecution in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Some agreed to voluntarily return to their countries from Panama, but others refused out of fear of persecution and were sent to a remote camp in the Darien jungle for weeks.
—
arkansasonline.com, 22 Mar. 2025
Pushed to the brink of extinction due to habitat loss and human persecution, the Florida panther is federally listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
This is Putin-style persecution of political dissidents.
—Katie Langford, The Denver Post, 18 Mar. 2025
The main theme is not just about the religious persecution of the truth, but rather the conflict between the church and the pursuit of knowledge and humanity’s intellect.
—Rafael Motamayor, IndieWire, 15 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for persecution
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
arkansasonline.com, 22 Mar. 2025
Pushed to the brink of extinction due to habitat loss and human persecution, the Florida panther is federally listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
This is Putin-style persecution of political dissidents.
—Katie Langford, The Denver Post, 18 Mar. 2025
The main theme is not just about the religious persecution of the truth, but rather the conflict between the church and the pursuit of knowledge and humanity’s intellect.
—Rafael Motamayor, IndieWire, 15 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for persecution
Cite this Entry
“Persecution.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/persecution. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
persecution
noun
per·se·cu·tion
ˌpər-si-ˈkyü-shən
1
: the act or practice of persecuting
2
: the condition of being persecuted
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share