martyr 1 of 2

verb

Definition of martyrnext
as in to attack
to kill (someone) for refusing to give up a belief or cause
—usually used as (be) martyred He was martyred for his religious beliefs.

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martyr

2 of 2

noun

as in sacrifice

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of martyr
Verb
And martyred, really, martyred for his beliefs. — Dallas Morning News, 25 Feb. 2026 So last year, Charlie was violently murdered by an assassin and martyred, really martyred for his beliefs. — Time Staff, Time, 25 Feb. 2026
Noun
His death quickly turned him into a martyr, shocked Christian Europe, and forced Henry II to publicly repent. — Literary Hub, 15 May 2026 His crusade ended in gunfire at a Day of the Dead festival, turning Manzo into a martyr figure and symbol against corruption. — Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for martyr
Recent Examples of Synonyms for martyr
  1. attack
  2. sacrifice
  3. torture
  4. loser
  5. torment
  6. anguish
  7. persecute
  8. plague
Verb
  • According to court documents reviewed by The Times, the model alleges that Sandoval shoved her down a flight of stairs in his home, pushed her to the ground at a hotel in Nashville, and attacked her and her father on June 3.
    — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • Electing to keep his No 5 on the field, the Brazil head coach made a subtle tactical tweak that saw Endrick enter the action and brought Matheus Cunha further to the left flank — which unlocked the attacking prowess of Vinicius Junior.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 6 July 2026
Definition of attack
Noun
  • It is also told through families, workers, immigrants, entrepreneurs, churches, communities, and quiet acts of sacrifice that rarely make history books but shape the nation just the same.
    — Phil Kafarakis, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
  • The 55-year-old country singer frequently honors veterans and first responders while recognizing their sacrifices on patriotic holidays.
    — Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
Definition of sacrifice
Verb
  • What unfolds is a unique horror story that is unbelievably entertaining, psychologically torturing and incredibly fun.
    — David Hookstead OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
  • The brutal nature of her murder—she was believed to have been tortured, and her body was cut in half and provocatively posed—helped spark a media frenzy.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 June 2026
Definition of torture
Noun
  • The losers are the automakers still leaving accessories to the dealer, where the margin quietly bleeds away.
    — Sarwant Singh, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • That is a big risk investors take when trying to find the winners and losers within the biotech sector.
    — Jay Woods, CNBC, 2 July 2026
Definition of loser
Verb
  • Tournament favorites France, for example, have so thoroughly taunted and tormented their opponents that anything short of the final would seem an injustice at this point.
    — Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 30 June 2026
  • In that movie, Depp played a young woman who is tormented after vampire Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård) becomes obsessed with her.
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 29 June 2026
Definition of torment
Verb
  • His effort to have (ahem) his cake and eat it too regarding Iran — acting reportedly anguished behind closed doors but publicly supportive of the administration — speaks to a level of calculation that makes people uncomfortable.
    — Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 23 June 2026
  • Robert Penn Warren’s 1946 novel is the story of the rise and fall of a Southern populist, the Louisiana governor Willie Stark—a fictional Huey Long (even if Warren downplayed the likeness)—as told by Stark’s wisecracking, anguished, Hamlet-y henchman, Jack Burden.
    — Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 12 May 2026
Definition of anguish
Verb
  • The Washington Principles also recognize that many sales of artwork by Jews during the Nazi era occurred while they were being persecuted, or under duress.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 29 June 2026
  • Representatives of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine have been persecuted.
    — Mark Temnycky, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
Definition of persecute
Verb
  • Andrew Harnik | Getty Images A rocky start The anniversary rollout has also been plagued by problems on the ground.
    — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 3 July 2026
  • In the 30 years following the tune’s release, disappointment has only continued to plague the Three Lions.
    — Fisher Isbell, AJC.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of plague

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Martyr.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/martyr. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on martyr

Nglish: Translation of martyr for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about martyr

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