1
as in plague
a widespread disease resulting in a high rate of death
one of the great pests of the 20th century was the influenza epidemic of 1918, which killed millions across the globe
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in nuisance
one who is obnoxiously annoying
stop being a pest to your sister and go find something else to do
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in headache
something that is a source of irritation
a never-ending construction project that continues to be a pest for motorists
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of pest
Monarchs require milkweed as part of their lifecycle, but the plant is considered an agricultural pest, so chemicals are used to eradicate it.
—
Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 23 Dec. 2024
But as humans continue to chop down some trees — and pests and disease targets other trees — fewer and fewer salamanders remain.
—Christine Peterson, Vox, 23 Dec. 2024
These first observations triggered a flurry of pest control activity to hunt the hunters.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Dec. 2024
Watch for Pests Indoor plants are less likely to attract pests than plants in the garden, but pests can still occasionally find their way inside and wreak havoc on indoor plants.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pest 
Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 23 Dec. 2024
But as humans continue to chop down some trees — and pests and disease targets other trees — fewer and fewer salamanders remain.
—Christine Peterson, Vox, 23 Dec. 2024
These first observations triggered a flurry of pest control activity to hunt the hunters.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Dec. 2024
Watch for Pests Indoor plants are less likely to attract pests than plants in the garden, but pests can still occasionally find their way inside and wreak havoc on indoor plants.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pest
Noun
-
Crack replaced political corruption as the No. 1 plague at the street level.Cary Goodman, New York Daily News, 5 Jan. 2025
-
The Russian government is avoiding mobilization like the plague, engendering clever (but still desperate) ways to pad the ranks.Dan Perry, Newsweek, 3 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
The lawsuit, filed in September 2023 in Sacramento Superior Court, alleged the city was causing a public nuisance by allowing homeless camps on public property.Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 9 Jan. 2025
-
Both appeals said the landfill is a nuisance to residents and contend the expansion needed the city's support to proceed under state law.Tom Sissom, arkansasonline.com, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
At the Brentwood location of popular Italian eatery Jon & Vinny’s, staff complained of headaches and sore throats in a text message group chat.Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2025
-
The common symptoms of POTS include light-headedness, fainting, brain fog, fatigue, headache, blurred vision, tremors, and nausea.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
At times, the offense has looked so good that Sam Darnold is now the hottest free agent this offseason, while the defense has been a thorn in quarterbacks sides with Flores’ relentless blitzing (Minnesota leads the league in blitz percentage).Austin Mock, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025
-
The senior forward was a thorn in the Huskies’ side two years ago, before the ACL injury that claimed most of his 2023-24 season and, seemingly, much of this year as well.Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 4 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Catastrophic events like the fires in Los Angeles have a way of turning these annoyances into disillusionment.Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 16 Jan. 2025
-
Vent to a friend or family member to release annoyances brewing within instead of bringing tense moments to the office.Lisa Stardust, People.com, 3 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Do gentle hip stretches to keep muscles relaxed. Stay hydrated, but avoid bladder irritants like soda or coffee.Amy Kwan, Verywell Health, 14 Jan. 2025
-
Image How Trump redefined the Jan. 6 riot as ‘a day of love’ Four years ago today, protesters stormed the U.S. Capitol with clubs, chemical irritants and other weapons, inflamed by Donald Trump’s lie that the 2020 election had been stolen from him.Natasha Frost, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
This shift has led to frustration and disappointment among job seekers who invest time and effort in the interview process.Jack Kelly, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
-
For instance, neurodivergent students may struggle to focus and absorb information effectively, leading to frustration, which further fuels the problem.William Jones, USA TODAY, 10 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near pest
Cite this Entry
“Pest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pest. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share