" persecutory "

1: as in harassing, persecutive;

•  Synonyms : 

•  harassing,

•  persecutive,

•  chilling,

•  frightening,

•  scary,

•  alarming,

•  dire,

•  direful,

•  dread,

•  dreadful,

•  fearful,

•  fearsome,

•  forbidding,

•  formidable,

•  frightful,

•  ghastly,

•  hair-raising,

•  horrendous,

•  horrible,

•  horrifying,

•  intimidating,

•  shocking,

•  terrible,

•  terrifying,

•  daunting,

•  demoralizing,

•  discomfiting,

•  disconcerting,

•  discouraging,

•  disheartening,

•  dismaying,

•  dispiriting,

•  discomforting,

•  discomposing,

•  disquieting,

•  distressing,

•  disturbing,

•  nagging,

•  nasty,

•  perturbing,

•  troublesome,

•  troubling,

•  troublous,

•  unsettling,

•  upsetting,

•  worrisome

•  Antonyms : 

•  reassuring,

•  calming,

•  quieting,

•  settling,

•  soothing,

•  comforting,

•  consoling,

•  dreamy,

•  inviting,

•  lulling,

•  narcotic,

•  pacifying,

•  relaxing,

•  sedative,

•  tranquilizing

1: to cause persistent suffering to;

  * e.g., " ... people who were persecuted simply for practicing their religious faith "

•  Synonyms : 

•  afflict,

•  agonize,

•  anguish,

•  bedevil,

•  beset,

•  besiege,

•  curse,

•  excruciate,

•  harrow,

•  plague,

•  rack,

•  torment,

•  torture

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

2: to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts;

  * e.g., " ... she likes to persecute her sister with pointless, annoying questions at very inopportune times "

•  Synonyms : 

•  aggravate,

•  annoy,

•  bother,

•  bug,

•  burn (up),

•  chafe,

•  eat,

•  exasperate,

•  frost,

•  gall,

•  get,

•  grate,

•  gripe,

•  hack (off),

•  irk,

•  irritate,

•  itch,

•  nark,

•  nettle,

•  peeve,

•  pique,

•  put out,

•  rasp,

•  rile,

•  ruffle,

•  spite,

•  vex

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)