as in harmful
causing or capable of causing harm
the pernicious effects of illegal narcotics on society
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Recent Examples of pernicious
Microplastics are tiny fragments, that can be as small as 1/25,000th of an inch (1 micrometer) and are a pernicious part of the plastic pollution crisis.
—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 2026
What is more pernicious than the denial is the tacit acceptance of his behavior in the community, as the community was the lifeblood of his art.
—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
And that’s not all — Yeon’s new film about the pernicious undead has set its North American theatrical release date.
—
Abid Rahman,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Apr. 2026
That may sound like a smart countermeasure to a pernicious tech shortcut.
—
Nathan Agranovsky,
Washington Post,
13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pernicious
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 2026
What is more pernicious than the denial is the tacit acceptance of his behavior in the community, as the community was the lifeblood of his art.
—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
And that’s not all — Yeon’s new film about the pernicious undead has set its North American theatrical release date.
—
Abid Rahman,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Apr. 2026
That may sound like a smart countermeasure to a pernicious tech shortcut.
—
Nathan Agranovsky,
Washington Post,
13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pernicious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pernicious
Adjective
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Telegram said its moderation systems remove millions of pieces of harmful content each month, including non-consensual pornography.
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Developing a negative self-view as a result of these harmful experiences during your formative years is not uncommon.
Adjective
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Others develop dangerous fluctuations in blood pressure and abnormal heart rhythms because the autonomic nervous system becomes affected.
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Sometimes, the streets appear glittering; other times, seedy and dangerous.
Adjective
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According to 24/7 Wall Street, the $60 billion all-stock AI company Anysphere acquisition, a $20 billon debt offering, and the future end of the lockup have been particularly detrimental to the maintenance of the share prices.
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There’s also the thought that onboarding a starting catcher midseason can be detrimental to a pitching staff, something that Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has expressed in the past.
Adjective
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There is still time for boards to shape how AI is adopted before damaging practices become normalized.
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Now, researchers report that such a quake could be more widespread and damaging than previously thought.
Adjective
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If an underwriting decision goes against you, ask for the reason; New York's rule, and others like it, were written partly to force insurers to explain adverse decisions rather than shrug at them.
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These conditions can increase your vulnerability to adverse effects from poor air quality.
Cite this Entry
“Pernicious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pernicious. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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