as in suicide
the suffering and death of a martyr
He suffered martyrdom for his religious beliefs.
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Recent Examples of martyrdom
Shiites frame their own suffering – from facing injustice to martyrdom – as symbolically participating in Husayn’s sacrifice.
—
Mary Thurlkill, The Conversation, 30 Mar. 2026
If the drama turns to martyrdom, the chore becomes heavier.
—Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 28 Mar. 2026
The investigation of the Piedmontese plot led to their discovery, and their contribution to the Risorgimento could consist only in the example of their courage and the legend of their martyrdom.
—Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 Mar. 2026
But while Americans saw the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a way to weaken his regime, there’s some reason to think that Khamenei welcomed his own martyrdom as a way to strengthen it.
—Nicholas D. Kristof, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for martyrdom
Mary Thurlkill, The Conversation, 30 Mar. 2026
If the drama turns to martyrdom, the chore becomes heavier.
—Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 28 Mar. 2026
The investigation of the Piedmontese plot led to their discovery, and their contribution to the Risorgimento could consist only in the example of their courage and the legend of their martyrdom.
—Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 Mar. 2026
But while Americans saw the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a way to weaken his regime, there’s some reason to think that Khamenei welcomed his own martyrdom as a way to strengthen it.
—Nicholas D. Kristof, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for martyrdom
Recent Examples of Synonyms for martyrdom
fatality
Noun
-
The majority of these strikes happen during the summer, causing around 20 fatalities each year, according to the NWS.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Hosted at the Washington Hilton, the gunmen have been apprehended, and no fatalities have been reported.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Martyrdom.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/martyrdom. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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