persecute
Harass for beliefs
To persecute is to subject someone to prolonged hostility, mistreatment, or oppression, typically because of their identity, beliefs, or membership in a group.
Religious and ethnic minorities have been persecuted throughout history.
The word implies systematic cruelty rather than isolated incidents: They fled the country after being persecuted for their political views.
Persecute is sometimes confused with prosecute, which means to bring legal charges.
Persistently torment someone
- houndHunting dog breed
- tormentSevere prolonged suffering
- badgerNag persistently
- bullyHabitual intimidator
stalk · intimidate · threaten · target · victimize · hunt · chase · relentless
Unjustly burden or dominate
- subjugateBring under dominion
- tyrannizeRule by oppression
- repressHold back forcibly
- suppressForcibly put an end to
dominate · enslave · marginalize · disenfranchise · silence · crush · coerce · authoritarian
Treat unequally based on category
- prejudicePreformed unfavorable opinion
- bigotryIntolerance toward differing views
- racismPrejudice based on ethnicity
- antisemitismBigotry toward Jewish people
homophobia · xenophobia · sectarianism · caste · minority · scapegoat · marginalize · exclude
harass
Persistently torment someone
bully · stalk · intimidate · threaten · target · victimize · hunt · chase · relentless · systematic
oppress
Unjustly burden or dominate
suppress · dominate · enslave · marginalize · disenfranchise · silence · crush · coerce · authoritarian · totalitarian
discriminate
Treat unequally based on category
- prejudicePreformed unfavorable opinion
- bigotryIntolerance toward differing views
- racismPrejudice based on ethnicity
antisemitism · homophobia · xenophobia · sectarianism · caste · minority · scapegoat · marginalize · exclude · segregate
suffer
Experience pain or distress
agony · trauma · hardship · ordeal · affliction · distress · misery · pain · grief · despair
martyr
Victim for beliefs
- hereticChallenger of official doctrine
- infidelNonbeliever in another's creed
- apostateOne who renounces faith
blasphemy · inquisition · crusade · jihad · pogrom · exile · diaspora · refugee · sanctuary · asylum
- religious persecutionHarming others for faith
- political persecutionState punishment for beliefs
- persecution complexDelusion of being targeted
- ethnic persecutionTargeting groups by ancestry
- Jewish persecutionDiscrimination against Jewish people
- Christian persecutionOppression of church followers
persecution, persecuted, persecutor, persecutes, persecuting, persecutions, persecutors, persecutory