persecute
verb
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Prosecute vs. Persecute
Take care to distinguish between prosecuted and persecuted, although we sincerely hope that neither word applies to you. Persecute typically has a small range of meanings, such as “to harass or punish in a manner designed to injure, grieve, or afflict.” Although the word is occasionally found in dialectal use to mean “prosecute,” many usage guides consider this to be an error. Prosecute is generally found today in a legal context (“to bring legal action against for redress or punishment of a crime or violation of law”), although the word may also be used to mean “to follow to the end” or “to engage in.” If someone is prosecuted they are being tried in a court of law; if they are persecuted they are being targeted and harassed.
Synonyms
Examples of persecute in a Sentence
Max Rodenbeck, TIME, 17 Jan. 2025
The facts of the complex historical matter are somewhat simplified and compressed, but care is taken to inform the viewer — briefly — that the Mormons were persecuted in Missouri and Illinois and that church founder Joseph Smith was assassinated, to give some background to their defensiveness.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2025
Far-right propagandists have spent years peddling false equivalency with the 2020 George Floyd protests, arguing that the insurrectionists were persecuted while their counterparts on the left were allowed to skate.
—Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 6 Jan. 2025
Charles also joined a Catholic congregation supporting a charity helping Christians persecuted across the Middle East and the globe.
—Simon Perry, People.com, 2 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for persecute 
Dictionary Entries Near persecute
Cite this Entry
“Persecute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/persecute. Accessed 24 Jan. 2025.
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persecute
verb
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