pestilence
noun
pes·ti·lence
ˈpe-stə-lən(t)s 
1
: a contagious or infectious epidemic disease that is virulent and devastating
especially
: bubonic plague
2
: something that is destructive or pernicious
I'll pour this pestilence into his ear—
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
Examples of pestilence in a Sentence
After years of war and pestilence, few people remained in the city.
the fear that terrorists could unleash a pestilence that would wreak unspeakable havoc
Recent Examples on the Web
In the past, East Asia’s (and every region’s) prolonged contractions were a consequence of dreadful calamity—such as war, famine, pestilence, or upheaval.
—Nicholas Eberstadt, Foreign Affairs, 8 May 2024
Luke called the vultures back and reshot the scene with the jetsam of pestilence.
—Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2023
His study came on the heels of another one published last November, which found that nearly a third of southern Sierra forests were killed by wildfires, drought and pestilence over the last decade.
—Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2023
Florida does not have a governor, but pestilence does, and in this respect DeSantis has served his only non-Trump constituency with an ardor unparalleled in his career.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 10 Aug. 2021
See all Example Sentences for pestilence 
Nicholas Eberstadt, Foreign Affairs, 8 May 2024
Luke called the vultures back and reshot the scene with the jetsam of pestilence.
—Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2023
His study came on the heels of another one published last November, which found that nearly a third of southern Sierra forests were killed by wildfires, drought and pestilence over the last decade.
—Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2023
Florida does not have a governor, but pestilence does, and in this respect DeSantis has served his only non-Trump constituency with an ardor unparalleled in his career.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 10 Aug. 2021
See all Example Sentences for pestilence
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pestilence.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Pestilence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pestilence. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pestilence
noun
pes·ti·lence
ˈpes-tə-lən(t)s
: a contagious or infectious epidemic disease that spreads quickly and is often fatal
especially
: bubonic plague
Medical Definition
pestilence
noun
pes·ti·lence
ˈpes-tə-lən(t)s
: a contagious or infectious epidemic disease that is virulent and devastating
specifically
: bubonic plague
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