Persecute
Persecute verb - To disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts.
Usage example: she likes to persecute her sister with pointless, annoying questions at very inopportune times
Pacify
Pacify verb - To lessen the anger or agitation of.
Usage example: the only thing that would pacify the child and end the tantrum was a new toy
Common collocations
Cite this Source
Pacify and Persecute. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 15, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/persecute/pacify
Persecute & Pacify. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/persecute/pacify>.
Pacify or Persecute. 2016. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/persecute/pacify.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "persecute" and "pacify" have occurred on timeline