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Persecuted vs Tormented - What's the difference?

persecuted | tormented |

As verbs the difference between persecuted and tormented

is that persecuted is (persecute) while tormented is (torment).

persecuted

English

Verb

(head)
  • (persecute)

    • persecute

    English

    Verb

    (persecut)
  • To pursue in a manner to injure, grieve, or afflict; to beset with cruelty or malignity; to harass; especially, to afflict, harass, punish, or put to death for one's race, sexual identity, adherence to a particular religious creed, or mode of worship.
    • "Do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." – Matt. 5:44.
  • To harass with importunity; to pursue with persistent solicitations; to annoy.

    • Synonyms

    * oppress, harass, distress, worry, annoy

    Related terms

    * prosecute * sequel

    References

    (Webster 1913) ----

    tormented

    English

    Verb

    (head)
  • (torment)

    • torment

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) A catapult or other kind of war-engine.
  • Torture, originally as inflicted by an instrument of torture.
  • Any extreme pain, anguish or misery, either physical or mental.
    • He was bitter from the torments of the divorce system.
  • * Bible, Matthew iv. 24
    • They brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments .

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * tormentous

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To cause severe suffering to (stronger than to vex'' but weaker than ''to torture. )
    • The child tormented the flies by pulling their wings off.
  • * 2013 , Phil McNulty, " Man City 4-1 Man Utd", BBC Sport , 22 September 2013:
    • Moyes, who never won a derby at Liverpool in 11 years as Everton manager, did not find the Etihad any more forgiving as City picked United apart in midfield, where Toure looked in a different class to United's £27.5m new boy Marouane Fellaini, and in defence as Aguero tormented Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand.

    Derived terms

    * tormentor