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
Relevance
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
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
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
Adjective
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Lynn's infectious personality and ongoing quest for selfies made her someone that everyone wanted to know, and her sharp wit kept readers coming back for more.
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The traveler was infectious while passing through Los Angeles County, potentially exposing others at LAX and the Hilton Los Angeles Airport Hotel.
Adjective
-
Scam texts are annoying for everyone.
-
Others have blamed everything from feminism and long work commutes to annoying kiddy car seats.
Adjective
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Haiti later won a true goal thanks to a lethal shot from Isidor.
-
Now 34 years later, Florida is set to execute Spencer by lethal injection on Thursday, June 25.
Adjective
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His provisional cause of death was given as multi-organ failure due to infective endocarditis, a rare infection of the inner lining or valves of the heart.
-
On July 30, Ray updated her fans again, revealing her diagnosis of infective endocarditis, a severe heart infection.
Adjective
-
Greenberg tried his best to ignore an irritating ankle injury that had plagued him the last couple of weeks and grimaced under the hazy sunlight as the pitcher, probably 20 or more years his junior, stared him down.
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The hypoallergenic face serum is free from potentially irritating ingredients, such as parabens and synthetic fragrances, too.
Adjective
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At the same time, vaccination rates have declined, worrying experts that more people could become vulnerable to this potentially deadly but preventable infection.
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The suspect, who has not yet been identified by police, was arrested in connection with the deadly shooting of 22-year-old Nasir Majied on Friday, June 5.
Adjective
-
So with that, that is extremely frustrating to, to members of Congress, especially Senate Republicans who think legislation like the bipartisan housing bill is good for voters heading into the midterms.
-
But months later, Feldstein Soto’s office still hasn’t executed the contracts, frustrating tenants rights advocates and the nonprofits, which are struggling to pay their staff without the funds from the city.
Adjective
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The cane toad, also known as the bufo toad or the marine toad, is known for the large, poisonous glands behind its eyes that secrete toxins when it’s touched.
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Berlin — Authorities across Germany have been battling an aggressive outbreak of poisonous caterpillars, which can cause severe health issues and have led to the closure of parks and other outdoor spaces, including in Berlin.
Cite this Entry
“Pestilent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pestilent. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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