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
But the tropical type of milkweed survives cold winters, and so does its pestilent guest.
—Carl Engelking, Discover Magazine, 15 Jan. 2015
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
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
But the tropical type of milkweed survives cold winters, and so does its pestilent guest.
—Carl Engelking, Discover Magazine, 15 Jan. 2015
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pestilent
Adjective
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One of your collective super powers is your genuine love of movies – from big tentpoles to specialty titles – your dedication, expertise and infectious fandom – are responsible for so many of our big wins.—
Borys Kit,
The Hollywood Reporter,
21 Feb. 2025
-
These ventilation systems function like high-volume air samplers, creating negative pressure inside poultry houses that draws in huge quantities of ambient air effectively concentrating whatever particulates may be in that air, in this case infectious virions of H5N1.—
John Drake,
Forbes,
21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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For one, Barber and Sweetin co-signed one fan’s take describing the youngest Tanner sibling, Michelle (played by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen) as increasingly annoying and borderline spoiled as the series went on.—
John Russell,
People.com,
21 Feb. 2025
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This is occasionally annoying (or more than occasionally).—
Jay Nordlinger,
National Review,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Ford, 64, is set to be executed by lethal injection after being on death row for more than two decades for the 1997 murders of Gregory and Kimberly Malnory, who were in their mid-20s.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr.,
USA TODAY,
14 Feb. 2025
-
Richard Tabler shared his final words before he was executed by lethal injection in Texas on Thursday.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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On July 30, Ray updated her fans again, revealing her diagnosis of infective endocarditis, a severe heart infection.—
Jessica Lynch,
Billboard,
31 July 2024
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Hospitalizations for strokes related to opioid use and infective endocarditis, a life-threatening infection of the heart’s lining and valves, increased in people under 45 from 2006 through 2015, coinciding with the opioid epidemic’s onset, the authors added.—
Elizabeth Cooney,
STAT,
23 May 2024
Adjective
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Surprisingly no one in my family finds this irritating.—
Sherry Kuehl,
Kansas City Star,
19 Feb. 2025
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In layman's terms, retinal works faster and is less irritating than retinol.—
Sarah Han,
Allure,
23 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Armed gangs now control approximately 80 percent of the capital, Port-au-Prince, carrying out kidnappings, extortion, and deadly clashes with security forces.—
Mark Joseph,
Newsweek,
24 Feb. 2025
-
The deadly blaze erupted Saturday just before 2 p.m. near Fenwick Street, officials told WFSB-TV.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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For the last three weeks, Democrats up and down the seniority list have been stuck playing an especially frustrating game of Whac-a-Mole: smack the outrage of the hour and then race to hit the next one, never quite leveling the field.—
Philip Elliott,
TIME,
14 Feb. 2025
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Unfortunately, the setup process is frustrating compared with the competition, as are the site-building tools.—
Robert Anderson,
PCMAG,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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But perhaps more alarmingly, Seneca Meadows is currently sending poisonous, PFAS-laden runoff into the Hudson and your drinking water supply.—
Yvonne Taylor,
New York Daily News,
21 Feb. 2025
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Shauna, Van, and Akilah break free from the rest of the group and end up in a tunnel permeated by some sort of poisonous gas.—
Esther Zuckerman,
New York Times,
21 Feb. 2025
Articles Related to pestilent
Cite this Entry
“Pestilent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pestilent. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
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