Meaning & use

persecution

noun·Academic

Sustained cruel or unfair treatment of someone, often because of their beliefs, race, or identity.

See it in a sentence

Many refugees fled their homeland to escape religious persecution.

Historians have documented decades of persecution against minority groups under the regime.

A note on using this word

Persecution implies a pattern of hostility over time, often organized or systemic, rather than a single unkind act.

Words with a similar meaning

oppressionharassment

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

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