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
The Know, The Denver Post, 21 May 2024
Sometimes hate has been written into law like the Indian Removal Actor Jim Crow laws that persecuted Native and Black Americans.
—Yolanda Gallardo, Discover Magazine, 18 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for persecute 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'persecute.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Persecute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/persecute. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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persecute
verb
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