as in poison
a chemical that is used to kill animals or insects that damage plants or crops
The family farm has gradually moved away from the use of pesticides.
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Recent Examples of pesticide
More research is needed to determine how exposure to these PFAS chemicals could affect human health, the report says, specifically around conditions where people are exposed to a mixture of pesticides at once.
—
Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 26 Mar. 2026
Her office said that lab testing confirmed some products contained lead, arsenic, mercury, ethanol, solvents, pesticides and other unknown products.
—Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2026
The risk of adaptation is highest under a continuous, strong selection pressure, so minimizing, switching and staggering pesticides can help thwart resistance.
—Jacob A Tennessen, The Conversation, 26 Mar. 2026
Nation-leading pesticide use, high nitrate and forever chemical levels in Iowa waters, and elevated radon exposure are among the environmental factors linked to the state's rising cancer rates, according to a new report from the Iowa Environment Council and Harkin Institute for Public Policy.
—Donnelle Eller, Des Moines Register, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pesticide
Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 26 Mar. 2026
Her office said that lab testing confirmed some products contained lead, arsenic, mercury, ethanol, solvents, pesticides and other unknown products.
—Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2026
The risk of adaptation is highest under a continuous, strong selection pressure, so minimizing, switching and staggering pesticides can help thwart resistance.
—Jacob A Tennessen, The Conversation, 26 Mar. 2026
Nation-leading pesticide use, high nitrate and forever chemical levels in Iowa waters, and elevated radon exposure are among the environmental factors linked to the state's rising cancer rates, according to a new report from the Iowa Environment Council and Harkin Institute for Public Policy.
—Donnelle Eller, Des Moines Register, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pesticide
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pesticide
Noun
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Drawing this degraded, sour crude is akin to pumping industrial poison through our midstream and downstream networks.—
Siddharth Misra,
Fortune,
28 Mar. 2026
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Calls to poison centers in the United States about the widely available herb kratom increased more than 1,200% between 2015 and 2025, new research has found.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In the 1970s, Claudia Miller, an allergist and environmental scientist, was studying how toxicants affect people in industrial settings and began noticing strange symptoms emerging after certain kinds of chemical exposures.—
Kate Raphael,
Discover Magazine,
23 June 2025
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Then, using a simulation, the team found that the warmth and weight of the sleeping child could increase the off-gassing of the toxicants.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
15 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Adaptation in Latin American mosquitoes Anopheles mosquitoes and the malaria-causing Plasmodium also occur outside Africa, where insecticide resistance is less well-researched.—
Jacob A Tennessen,
The Conversation,
26 Mar. 2026
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Inspectors observed ant and roach insecticide being stored near a coffee container.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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As an invasive species, Indiana’s Department of Natural Resources recommend cutting medium to larger Callery trees down to the stump and treating them with herbicide.—
John Tufts,
IndyStar,
1 Apr. 2026
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Know your weeds and the herbicides that provide control; make applications as needed.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Eventually an eye infection took her to a doctor who diagnosed her with an autoimmune disease.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
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Scientists were searching for a new breed of pear tree resistant to a nasty fungus called fire blight, a disease that can decimate crops.—
John Tufts,
IndyStar,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The most common was fludioxonil, a fungicide found in nearly 90% of peach and plum samples.—
Allison Palmer,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Mar. 2026
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The fungicide is sprayed on the fruits after harvest to prevent mold.—
Susanne Rust
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The very notion of national unity in a time of war seems utterly beyond this president, who follows his capricious instincts and continues, as ever, to spray venom at domestic opponents (and, for that matter, allies) when they are needed to wage and win the war.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2026
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Also in the rattlesnake win column, their venom has been a major source of inspiration for medical treatments, Taylor said.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Taking supporting women’s wrongs—and rights—to new levels, everyone’s favorite toxic on-screen Girl Boss duo are back for a fourth season of Industry: Harper Stern and Yasmin Kara-Hanani.—
Chloe Laws,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Jan. 2026
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The Michigan Legislature passed a law in 2008 meant to protect the public from harmful electronic waste toxics.—
Nushrat Rahman,
Freep.com,
27 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pesticide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pesticide. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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