MARTYR Synonyms: 109 Similar and Opposite Words

martyr 1 of 2

verb

Definition of martyr

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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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

Porter need not be martyred like Good and Pretti. — Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 7 Mar. 2026 Iran, with its sophisticated military, near-nuclear capability, proxy networks spanning the region and a regime now martyred by foreign attack, will likely not be the exception. — Farah N. Jan, The Conversation, 2 Mar. 2026

Noun

Today, millions more people know about his stance on this issue and, thanks to Kraft, many see him as a martyr for a cause. — Sean Woods, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2026 The martyr complex is ingrained in Iranian DNA, but despite her troubled life, Googoosh doesn’t lean into it. — Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 16 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for martyr

Recent Examples of Synonyms for martyr

Verb

Egypt's president sought to reassure the public that the country wouldn't attack Yemen, and that the military support is limited to defending Saudi territory.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
Back in 2023, Stevens revealed he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome—a rare auto-immune disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves—and was working to relearn how to walk and use his hands.

— Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of attack

Noun

Team owner James Dolan promised rings to the players' significant others as well, highlighting that the support and sacrifices of the players' partners during last season's playoffs were vital to securing the title.

— Otis Livingston, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
Watching the Taliban regain power called into question the meaning of their sacrifice, and the government’s difficulty evacuating Afghan comrades who had fought with them felt like a betrayal.

— Azadeh Moaveni, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of sacrifice

Noun

The losers will be SpaceX’s current shareholders that give up almost half their company for puny profits and big promises.

— Shawn Tully, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
The contract will also usually provide for prevailing-party attorney’s fees, meaning the loser must repay the winner’s attorney’s fees.

— Gary Singer, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of loser

Verb

After several hours of tormenting Machado, Sierra placed his leg on her chest to keep her from moving and wrapped a yellow Sedano’s Supermarket plastic bag over her face.

— Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026
Though his father’s death torments him, Calvin is an affable, hardworking widower.

— Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of torment

Verb

Stylistically, this encyclopedic catch-all of genres readily segues from sermons and soliloquies to thrilling action sequences and anguished cris de coeur.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
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

Definition of anguish

Verb

Those governments provide assurances that people won’t be persecuted or tortured, federal attorneys said.

— Lindsay Whitehurst, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
Also, some immigration cases involve people seeking asylum because they are being persecuted by a foreign government and releasing a person’s full name could be considered sensitive or even dangerous.

— Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of persecute

Verb

Deloitte-run systems have been plagued by errors that can result in eligible people losing their health coverage, previous KFF Health News investigations have shown.

— Samantha Liss, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
The president used an antisemitic slur to defend Marshall’s history of suing patients for medical debt, a controversy that has plagued the incumbent senator in recent weeks.

— Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of plague

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marts

martyr

martyrdom

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Style

“Martyr.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/martyr. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of martyr

verb

noun

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