1
as in infectious
capable of being passed by physical contact from one person to another
proper hand washing will help prevent the spread of most pestilent diseases
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in annoying
causing annoyance
pestilent reporters hounding him night and day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in lethal
likely to cause or capable of causing death
pestilent diseases such as bubonic plague and smallpox
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pestilent
New York scored a big win in its comeback over the pestilent Houston Rockets on Monday.
—
Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 8 Feb. 2025
The high densities of brine flies — so dense shorelines can look like they are matted with tar — are an indication of a healthy lake, not a pestilent one.
—Daniel Rothberg, Vox, 1 Oct. 2024
The former was true in the Pelicans' Game 4 as the eagle-wingspan need small forward Jones' and pestilent 6-foot Alvarado's varied physical traits held him to a playoff career-low four points and caused three turnovers.
—Dana Scott, The Arizona Republic, 29 Apr. 2022
Island living looks like a privilege when the world is pestilent.
—New York Times, 31 Oct. 2020
Herbicides also are available to contend with the pestilent plant.
—cleveland, 30 June 2020
At the time, the miasmatic theory of disease—the idea that illness was caused by foul, pestilent odors—had made its way to Boston from England, and undoubtedly influenced the decision to fill in the pond.
—Betsy Mason, National Geographic, 13 June 2017
But the tropical type of milkweed survives cold winters, and so does its pestilent guest.
—Carl Engelking, Discover Magazine, 15 Jan. 2015
Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 8 Feb. 2025
The high densities of brine flies — so dense shorelines can look like they are matted with tar — are an indication of a healthy lake, not a pestilent one.
—Daniel Rothberg, Vox, 1 Oct. 2024
The former was true in the Pelicans' Game 4 as the eagle-wingspan need small forward Jones' and pestilent 6-foot Alvarado's varied physical traits held him to a playoff career-low four points and caused three turnovers.
—Dana Scott, The Arizona Republic, 29 Apr. 2022
Island living looks like a privilege when the world is pestilent.
—New York Times, 31 Oct. 2020
Herbicides also are available to contend with the pestilent plant.
—cleveland, 30 June 2020
At the time, the miasmatic theory of disease—the idea that illness was caused by foul, pestilent odors—had made its way to Boston from England, and undoubtedly influenced the decision to fill in the pond.
—Betsy Mason, National Geographic, 13 June 2017
But the tropical type of milkweed survives cold winters, and so does its pestilent guest.
—Carl Engelking, Discover Magazine, 15 Jan. 2015
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pestilent
Adjective
-
If you’re pumped for the future with a bunch of ideas, your enthusiasm becomes infectious.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Luckily for audiences, her laugh is infectious.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Beyond that, people found the Mitfords’ very, very aristocratic accent extremely annoying.—
Mimi Pond,
People.com,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Here's how to erase annoying scratches from hardwood floors.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Advocacy groups have also raised concerns, noting Arizona's troubled history with executions, including a series of botched lethal injections that led to an eight-year pause before the state resumed the practice in 2022.—
Alia Shoaib,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Sep. 2025
-
For children with sepsis, a potentially lethal reaction by the body to infection that causes 20% of deaths worldwide, the wait can prove deadly.—
Brian Simpson,
NPR,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
His provisional cause of death was given as multi-organ failure due to infective endocarditis, a rare infection of the inner lining or valves of the heart.—
Daniel Taylor,
The Athletic,
26 Feb. 2025
-
On July 30, Ray updated her fans again, revealing her diagnosis of infective endocarditis, a severe heart infection.—
Jessica Lynch,
Billboard,
31 July 2024
Adjective
-
Nina not being there contributed to one of the most irritating moments in this season so far, with Antonio smugly blowing a kiss into the camera for her and gloating about being in the top after her harsh critique last week.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
29 Aug. 2025
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An irritating habit of his is to stop by and launch into long-winded stories about some mundane event in his present or past life or to pontificate about a current event.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Last week's deadly shooting also heightens concerns of university safety protocols and security at public events.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
-
The mid-air collision sent both aircraft hurtling into the Potomac River and left no survivors, becoming the deadliest airline crash in the country since 2001.—
Jillian Frankel,
PEOPLE,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Before last season, his latent talent was obvious, but a frustrating lack of consistency meant the 28-year-old was never — until now — even included in the 30-man shortlist for the award.—
Conor O'Neill,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
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More frustrating still is when the shoe is on the other foot.—
Bruce Tulgan,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The other problem is that many homes have more poisonous substances easily available than in the past, Willard said.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Erin Patterson, who murdered three relatives with poisonous mushrooms, has been given a life prison sentence by the supreme court in Australia.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pestilent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pestilent. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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