PESTS Synonyms: 93 Similar and Opposite Words

pests

noun

plural of pest

as in plagues

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

as in nuisances

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

as in headaches

something that is a source of irritation a never-ending construction project that continues to be a pest for motorists

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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 pests Trimming plants down to about six or eight inches can promote healthy growth in the spring and help prevent pests and diseases from infiltrating. — Macie Stump, Southern Living, 22 Oct. 2026 Direct ownership is highly illiquid and comes with management costs, property taxes, harvesting expenses, exposure to local timber markets, and risks including wildfire, pests, disease and trespassers hunting or cutting trees. — Kevin Williams, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2026 Plant Armor tackles some of these challenges, starting with the pests. — Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026 As temperatures drop in the fall, aphids, like other garden pests, are less active, but don’t be fooled by appearances. — Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 16 Oct. 2026 For properties other than single-family homes and duplexes, the statute addresses reasonable provisions for clean and safe common areas along with services such as garbage removal and extermination of certain pests. — Emma Clapp, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026 Although generally hardy, the plant is susceptible to certain diseases, including anthracnose and bacterial soft rot, as well as pests such as spider mites, caterpillars, and whiteflies. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2026 These beneficial predators spend the winter under leaves, emerging in spring to feed on common garden pests such as aphids, slugs and mites. — Manjot Kaur Sidhu, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2026 Pillows were kept — and since removed — from room 3506 where the pests were most-recently found. — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pests

Noun

Two-inch straps tipped with zinc alloy hooks lock the cover down and cut back on the constant readjusting that plagues cheaper slipcovers.

— Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2026
Pneumonic plague is one of three types of plagues that are caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis.

— Tim Lister, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of plagues

Noun

Macomb County, Michigan Spongy moths, formerly known as gypsy moths, are an invasive insect that can damage trees and create nuisances for residents, county officials said.

— Paula Wethington, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
But coyotes, with their abundant numbers and reputation as nuisances, are not.

— Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of nuisances

Noun

The area is one of the most notorious traffic headaches in the country, with the mountains dividing the bustling Westside employment hub from the San Fernando Valley.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Those headaches create headwinds, but the underlying story provides support.

— Michael Khouw, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of headaches

Noun

The third season sees Ranma and fiancée Akane have to deal with old annoyances, new dangers, and even more shenanigans.

— K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 2 Oct. 2026
People are exhausted by subscriptions, signing up for apps, logins, passwords, and other first-world annoyances that are now common in the search to watch a game on TV.

— Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of annoyances

Noun

Cue an enthralling chase sequence, doubling back through those higgledy-piggledy Portland streetscapes, toward the woods — the impenetrable thickets and thorns of which magically part in her presence.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
Grace Carroll gives a poignant performance as the Nightingale—borne aloft with arched back and trembling, outstretched hands by other dancers, who play thorns that pierce her breast—and Adam Elmes makes a seductively sinister Dorian Gray.

— Hannah Aizenman, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of thorns

Noun

Avoiding scented soaps, tight clothing and other vulvar irritants may also reduce discomfort, according to the Mayo Clinic.

— Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 20 Oct. 2026
Nodules can be caused by a variety of factors including scar tissue, lung irritants, inflammatory conditions, current or past infections, or cancer.

— ABC News, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of irritants

Noun

Even Luke Kuechly, who was honored at halftime for his recent induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, couldn’t quell any frustrations.

— Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2026
Clinton's lack of a majority and list of frustrations in his first term set the stage for a bruising first midterm election in 1994.

— Ron Elving, NPR, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of frustrations

Browse Nearby Words

pestled

pests

pesty

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Style

“Pests.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pests. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of pests

noun

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