- persecute
- v1. torture, agonize, excruciate, martyr, rack, crucify, dragoon; pain, hurt, scathe, wring, put someone through the wringer; punish, castigate, abuse, beat, beat up, Sl. work over, Sl. give one the works, Archaic. belabor; molest, mistreat, maltreat, ill-treat, ill-use; oppress, tyrannize, subjugate, grind, trample, burden, weigh down; aggrieve, outrage, wrong, discriminate against, Sl. kick around, Sl. do [s.o.] dirty.2. afflict, torment, plague, hector, bully; vex, annoy, harass, harry, badger, hound, importune, bother, pester, Brit. chevy; exasperate, aggravate, irritate, gall, rub, chafe, roil, Chiefly U.S. rile; provoke, needle, nettle, bullyrag, tease, Brit. rag; anguish, distress, harrow, worry, trouble, disturb, Scot. fash; perturb, upset, disconcert, disquiet, Inf. faze.
A Note on the Style of the synonym finder. 2014.