martyrdom

noun

mar·​tyr·​dom ˈmär-tər-dəm How to pronounce martyrdom (audio)
1
: the suffering of death on account of adherence to a cause and especially to one's religious faith
… defended moral truth even to the point of enduring martyrdomAndrew Sullivan
2

Examples of martyrdom in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Nabatieh, once a noisy, compact city of 120,000, famous for the market and its yearly 10-day gathering for Ashura — when Shiite Muslims commemorate the 7th century martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson — is now ghostly quiet. Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2024 What begins as an inhumane interrogation turns into a true martyrdom: the wrong group of people has been kidnapped. Patrick Frater, Variety, 3 Oct. 2024 For the moment at least, Hamas leaders and sources close to the leadership circle have tried to project an aura of resilience and an emphasis on the virtues of martyrdom. David Remnick, The New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2024 For him, Musk’s embrace of Donald Trump’s worldview and his parallel rejection of California’s liberal politics aren’t really about ideology or free speech martyrdom (as Musk often espouses). Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for martyrdom 

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of martyrdom was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near martyrdom

Cite this Entry

“Martyrdom.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/martyrdom. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

martyrdom

noun
mar·​tyr·​dom ˈmärt-ərd-əm How to pronounce martyrdom (audio)
1
: the sufferings and death of a martyr
2
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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