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
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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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of pest
Future research could investigate the use of acoustic monitoring to understand how stress affects plant health and could identify potential applications for agricultural pest control.
—
Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 24 July 2025
Similar to mosquitoes in life cycles and habits, females suck blood to feed their eggs, pest control company Terminix says.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 15 July 2025
Other flowering plants, like yarrow and sweet alyssum, reduce pest issues by attracting beneficial insects that feed on veggie pests.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 July 2025
Spruce, while good for snow-heavy regions like the Alps, are ill-suited to Germany's climate and susceptible to pests like bark beetles when weakened by heat.
—Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pest
Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 24 July 2025
Similar to mosquitoes in life cycles and habits, females suck blood to feed their eggs, pest control company Terminix says.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 15 July 2025
Other flowering plants, like yarrow and sweet alyssum, reduce pest issues by attracting beneficial insects that feed on veggie pests.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 July 2025
Spruce, while good for snow-heavy regions like the Alps, are ill-suited to Germany's climate and susceptible to pests like bark beetles when weakened by heat.
—Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pest
Noun
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No one mentioned the annoying swarms of tiny biting midges that plague Scotland’s west coast in the summer.—
Angus MacKinnon,
CNN Money,
3 Aug. 2025
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Meanwhile, as advocacy groups wrangle to get answers, GWI continues to plague veterans.—
Kate Plummer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 July 2025
Noun
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Last month, Los Angeles city officials declared these properties a public nuisance because of their failure to take action to clean up debris.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 July 2025
-
The cicadas swarming in and around Cincinnati can be a nuisance.—
Chad Murphy,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
Noun
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In the early stages, people may experience fatigue, fever, headaches, muscle aches, and a distinctive bull’s-eye rash.—
Tiffany Acosta,
AZCentral.com,
3 Aug. 2025
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Economic Worries Add To Pressure Economic concerns are also causing a headache for the Trump administration, with multiple recent polls showing a downward trend in the president's approval rating on his handling of the economy and inflation.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Presidents of both parties complained about judges blocking policies nationwide Nationwide injunctions have been a thorn in the side of presidential administrations of both parties.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
22 July 2025
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Those critics may or may not prove to be a thorn in O’Brien’s side.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
10 July 2025
Noun
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Most concerning: The Royals’ lineup is far past the point of frustration and teetering toward pure annoyance for those at The K. Here is how Saturday’s scenario played out.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
13 July 2025
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Don’t think, just play Despite its minor annoyances, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 lives up to the hype and should be a day-one treat for gamers worldwide.—
Matt Gardner,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
Noun
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While many have been peaceful, with marchers chanting slogans and carrying signs against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, some protesters have clashed with police, leading to hundreds of arrests and the use of chemical irritants to disperse crowds.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 June 2025
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Most have been peaceful, but some have led to clashes with law enforcement as officers made arrests and used chemical irritants and less-lethal weapons to disperse crowds.—
Khaleda Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 June 2025
Noun
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Analysts expressed frustration with CEO Andy Jassy’s explanations for AWS’s relatively slow growth during the conference call.—
Peter Cohan,
Forbes.com,
3 Aug. 2025
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On July 29, Trump cut the window to 10 days, citing frustration with Russia's continued drone and missile strikes on Ukrainian cities.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
3 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pest. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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