as in annoying
causing annoyance
the pesky problem of what to do with all the leftovers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 pesky
UConn started the game shooting just 3-for-17 from the field, but stayed in it with their pesky defensive effort, led by Diarra.
—
Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 23 Mar. 2025
Lanier is a score-first guard who is bombs away from deep, while Zeigler is one of the peskiest defenders in the country.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 21 Mar. 2025
The team plays a pesky, high-pressure style of basketball, which has proven difficult for some opponents.
—Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 19 Mar. 2025
Fanny was a wunderkind pianist and composer but, unlike her brother Felix, wasn’t able to pursue anything at a professional level, owing to pesky societal expectations.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pesky
Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 23 Mar. 2025
Lanier is a score-first guard who is bombs away from deep, while Zeigler is one of the peskiest defenders in the country.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 21 Mar. 2025
The team plays a pesky, high-pressure style of basketball, which has proven difficult for some opponents.
—Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 19 Mar. 2025
Fanny was a wunderkind pianist and composer but, unlike her brother Felix, wasn’t able to pursue anything at a professional level, owing to pesky societal expectations.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pesky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pesky
Adjective
-
Other non-native ephemerals, such as lesser celandine, are more annoying and more recent arrivals.—
Carl R. Gold,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2025
-
Going on a first date while an unnamed, unseen troll pings you personal memes that escalate from annoying to homicidal?—
Charley Ross,
Glamour,
29 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
For many people, these medications provide a way out of the frustrating cycle of dieting and regaining weight.—
Rowan Briggs,
Mercury News,
3 Apr. 2025
-
Those interest rates matter, because of the frustrating math of inflation.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Going Overboard with Outdoor Lighting Light pollution can be just as irritating as that dog down the street who barks like clockwork for 30 minutes every night.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
29 Mar. 2025
-
New York, though, continued to use its newfound abilities to turn defense into offense with the irritating McBride starting in place of Brunson.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
13 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pesky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pesky. Accessed 10 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share