martyrdom

noun

mar·tyr·dom ˈmär-tər-dəm

Synonyms of martyrdom

: the suffering of death on account of adherence to a cause and especially to one's religious faith

… defended moral truth even to the point of enduring martyrdom …—Andrew Sullivan

: affliction, torture

Examples of martyrdom in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Stewart has been clear that the goal is not martyrdom in the kitchen. — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 June 2026 That is hardly a cause worthy of martyrdom. — Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 9 Apr. 2026 More clear-eyed now, Jean must reject her martyrdom and reclaim her own truth and agency. — Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026 Was Pelley going for martyrdom or just angry? — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for martyrdom

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of martyrdom was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Browse Nearby Words

martyr

martyrdom

martyress

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Martyrdom.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/martyrdom. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

martyrdom

noun

mar·tyr·dom ˈmärt-ərd-əm

: the sufferings and death of a martyr

: torment entry 1 sense 1

martyrdom

noun

Examples of martyrdom in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on martyrdom

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

perfunctory

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes