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
On the surface, dietary advice to eat more vegetables hardly seems pernicious.
—
Rachel Hope Cleves / Made By History, TIME, 14 Feb. 2025
Eggs have become vivid symbols of Americans’ frustration over the pernicious inflation of recent years.
—Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2025
One example was that the law capped the pernicious state and local tax deduction at $10,000.
—The Editors, National Review, 10 Feb. 2025
The pernicious effects of bias also play out in the workplace—with negative consequences for individuals and organizations.
—Iris Bohnet, Big Think, 28 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pernicious
Rachel Hope Cleves / Made By History, TIME, 14 Feb. 2025
Eggs have become vivid symbols of Americans’ frustration over the pernicious inflation of recent years.
—Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2025
One example was that the law capped the pernicious state and local tax deduction at $10,000.
—The Editors, National Review, 10 Feb. 2025
The pernicious effects of bias also play out in the workplace—with negative consequences for individuals and organizations.
—Iris Bohnet, Big Think, 28 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pernicious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pernicious
Adjective
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Confusing a congressional edict to end segregation with DEI policies that have no genesis in the Black Civil Rights movement to end Jim Crow is historically ignorant, disrespectful, and harmful to the urgent need to focus on resolving continuing racial inequalities in public education.—
Raymond Pierce,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
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For every person who happily sets 4:00 a.m. alarms on race morning, there’s another convinced the sport is too hard, too boring, or a waste of time, if not outright harmful.—
Cindy Kuzma,
SELF,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Reading back over her sister’s occasionally gossipy letters, maybe Cassie thought those qualities were just too dangerous to reveal publicly.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2025
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Harvard-Westlake, last year’s Division 1 runner-up, is still dangerous with sophomore pitcher Justin Kirchner (7-0) and junior center fielder James Tronstein.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Focusing too much on weight rather than taking a more holistic approach can be detrimental to the care of all patients.—
Hannah Yasharoff,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2025
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And this has serious and detrimental consequences, not just for the colleges and universities, but for our economy.—
Destinee Adams,
NPR,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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More studies will have to determine just how damaging microplastics truly are to fertility.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
24 Apr. 2025
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But the uncertainty bred by the trade war is just as damaging to businesses’ bottom lines as consumers pull back their spending.—
Amelia Lucas,
CNBC,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The result is potential adverse effects on the health, cognition, and well-being of older users and missed opportunities for support.—
Diana Spehar,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
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Sometimes this can be dangerous and cause serious adverse effects.—
Jamie Johnson,
Verywell Health,
1 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pernicious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pernicious. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
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