abuse vs persecution

abuse and persecution both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
abuse	Yes	No	Yes	No
persecution	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, persecution is a hyponym of abuse; that is, persecution is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than abuse:

abuse: cruel or inhumane treatment
persecution: the act of persecuting (especially on the basis of race or religion)

Other hyponyms of abuse include child abuse, child neglect, cruelty, inhuman treatment.

abuse (noun)	persecution (noun)
improper or excessive use	the act of persecuting (especially on the basis of race or religion)
cruel or inhumane treatment
a rude expression intended to offend or hurt

abuse (verb)	persecution (verb)
change the inherent purpose or function of something
use wrongly or improperly or excessively
use foul or abusive language towards
treat badly