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
Access to asylum is sharply limited Under U.S. and international law, asylum is designed to offer legal protection to foreigners who are fleeing persecution based on certain grounds, such as their political views, religion or membership in a social group.
—
Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2024
Most people crossing come from places where endemic conflict or persecution mean their asylum applications are very likely to be approved eventually.
—Frey Lindsay, Forbes, 16 Aug. 2024
Similarly false assumptions also led to the arrest and persecution of Taiwanese American scientist Wen Ho Lee.
—Meredith Oyen / Made By History, TIME, 13 Aug. 2024
The persecution of women and girls constitutes a crime against humanity—one of the most serious categories of crimes, along with genocide and war crimes.
—Binaifer Nowrojee, TIME, 15 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for persecution 
Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2024
Most people crossing come from places where endemic conflict or persecution mean their asylum applications are very likely to be approved eventually.
—Frey Lindsay, Forbes, 16 Aug. 2024
Similarly false assumptions also led to the arrest and persecution of Taiwanese American scientist Wen Ho Lee.
—Meredith Oyen / Made By History, TIME, 13 Aug. 2024
The persecution of women and girls constitutes a crime against humanity—one of the most serious categories of crimes, along with genocide and war crimes.
—Binaifer Nowrojee, TIME, 15 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for persecution
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'persecution.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near persecution
Cite this Entry
“Persecution.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/persecution. Accessed 12 Sep. 2024.
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
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