pestilent

adjective

ˈpe-stə-lənt How to pronounce pestilent (audio)
Definition of pestilentnext
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in annoying
causing annoyance pestilent reporters hounding him night and day

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in lethal
likely to cause or capable of causing death pestilent diseases such as bubonic plague and smallpox

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example 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 pestilent But there were plenty of living famouses who were positively pestilent with Knicks fever. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 14 June 2026 Long dismissed as pestilent rodents, beavers are now coming to be understood as autonomous biosphere managers that may be indispensable in the fight against the effects of climate chaos. — New Atlas, 28 Dec. 2025 Any dairy farmer can tell you that biting flies are a pestilent scourge for cattle herds, which is why one so often sees cows throwing their heads, stamping their feet, flicking their tails, and twitching their skin—desperately trying to shake off the nasty creatures. — ArsTechnica, 18 Sep. 2025 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pestilent
  1. infectious
  2. annoying
  3. lethal
  4. infective
  5. irritating
  6. deadly
  7. frustrating
  8. poisonous
Adjective
  • Many kinds of infectious agents are spread through contact with fomites, including influenza viruses, norovirus, and rotavirus.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Oct. 2026
  • As for the neighborhood, the Brera district is a favorite of both locals and visitors with its unique atmosphere that combines the best of historic Milan with the restless and infectious energy of the city’s creative scene today.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of infectious
Adjective
  • Imagine a congressional coalition formed by kicking out the lawmakers, on either side, who are annoying—the Ted Cruzes and the John Fettermans.
    — Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Indeed, the survey showed that use of the horn is the most common action when drivers consider another driver to be annoying or angering them.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of annoying
Adjective
  • Garza was shot twice with less-lethal bean bag rounds but did not surrender.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Police said officers used a less-lethal weapon to subdue Sims and take him into custody.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of lethal
Adjective
  • Sepsis can lead to a number of different complications, and Woodhouse developed infective endocarditis — an infection of the inner lining of the heart chambers and valves.
    — Adam England, PEOPLE, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The team confirmed that those eggs developed into infective third-stage larvae.
    — Jay Kakade August 05, Refractor, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of infective
Adjective
  • But for this initial step, Pierre tells mature patients to find a formula that’s gentle, non-irritating, and—if needed—able to remove makeup.
    — Jenny Berg, Vogue, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The cold temperature will slow down the enzymes and ease the irritating effects.
    — Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of irritating
Adjective
  • Police charged 52-year-old Mooresville resident Rod Moskowitz with assault with a deadly weapon on a government official, court records show.
    — Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Memories are fresh of the nationwide protests sparked by economic pressures that led to a deadly crackdown weeks before the war.
    — Amir-Hussein Radjy, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of deadly
Adjective
  • Make no mistake, Sweeney inherits a talented but frustrating team.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Frustrating process to get assistance However, the new program will not launch until December, and some residents say a lack of clarity surrounding the assistance has made navigating the process frustrating.
    — Aaron Parseghian, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of frustrating
Adjective
  • Now, a poisonous residue on the same crowbar has left him incapacitated.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
  • This low-temperature, low-pressure hydrometallurgical method removes arsenic cleanly and operates without fossil fuels or poisonous gas emissions.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of poisonous

Browse Nearby Words

pestilences
pestilent
pestilential
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Cite this Entry

“Pestilent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pestilent. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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