pest

\ ˈpest

Definition of pest

1 : an epidemic disease associated with high mortality specifically : plague

2 : something resembling a pest in destructiveness especially : a plant or animal detrimental to humans or human concerns (such as agriculture or livestock production)

3 : one that pesters or annoys : nuisance

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Examples of pest in a Sentence

These insects are pests for farmers. mice and other household pests You're being a real pest. Would you leave us alone, please?

Recent Examples on the Web This is another link that shows a lot of diseases and pests to the bean plant. — oregonlive, "Ask an expert: Neighbor’s spraying could affect growth, yield of raspberries," 10 May 2020 Waterproof, incredibly strong, resistant to pests and possessing a beautiful, iridescent grain, this hardwood is in great demand on international markets. — Jerome Lewis, Scientific American, "How Sustainable Development Ravaged the Congo Basin," 26 Apr. 2020 Burying the flare inhibits oxygen exchange, rots the trunk of the tree and creates a pathway for pests and pathogens. — cleveland, "Avoid mulching mistakes and better care for your trees," 23 Apr. 2020 Plants have to be ornamentally appealing, reasonably easy to cultivate over a wide swath of North America, free from serious pest and disease problems and just all-around good plants that could use a little PR boost. — Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, "A life-long love for 'weird' plants means our columnist is extra excited about 'Sun King'," 17 Apr. 2020 Big cities are poised to face water shortages, farms may be unable to plant crops, forests will brown up and be susceptible to pests and the risk of wildfire will grow. — Kurtis Alexander, SFChronicle.com, "California, rest of the West sinking into a rare megadrought, scientists say," 16 Apr. 2020 The four- to six-hour class includes information on choosing a site for your vegetable garden, planting tips, and how to identify and solve common disease and pest problems. — Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, "Brush Up on Your Gardening Skills with These Free Online Classes," 1 Apr. 2020 The container offers superior pest and weed management compared to ground-level planting. — Fiona Gilsenan, Popular Mechanics, "How To Build a Raised Garden Bed," 14 Mar. 2020 Gardeners are planting large seedlings that withstand pests and diseases better than small ones. — Dean Fosdick, Houston Chronicle, "Sustainable gardening involves eco-friendly practices," 5 Mar. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pest.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.