as in annoying
causing annoyance
the pesky problem of what to do with all the leftovers
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pesky
The twist ending has viewers hooked and ready to know what will come next, but that pesky Wednesday hiatus will prevent us from finding out until Thursday.
—
Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
Larsson’s hustle, pesky defense and cutting ability immediately stood out, averaging 10.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.2 steals per game while shooting 44% from the field and 36.8% on threes during his final six regular-season appearances.
—Miami Herald, 10 July 2025
The team’s early tests using the Spot robot failed because the high-tech robot couldn’t charge the pesky wildlifethem at fast enough speeds.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 10 July 2025
Cue this bug zapper—it’s made with a 4200-voltage blue-violet light and a plastic surrounding cage to attract and effectively trap pesky critters like mosquitos, gnats, moths, wasps, flies, and more.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pesky
Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
Larsson’s hustle, pesky defense and cutting ability immediately stood out, averaging 10.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.2 steals per game while shooting 44% from the field and 36.8% on threes during his final six regular-season appearances.
—Miami Herald, 10 July 2025
The team’s early tests using the Spot robot failed because the high-tech robot couldn’t charge the pesky wildlifethem at fast enough speeds.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 10 July 2025
Cue this bug zapper—it’s made with a 4200-voltage blue-violet light and a plastic surrounding cage to attract and effectively trap pesky critters like mosquitos, gnats, moths, wasps, flies, and more.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pesky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pesky
Adjective
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Josh — Earnings season is super annoying for trend-following investment strategies.—
Josh Brown,Sean Russo,
CNBC,
14 July 2025
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After witnesses identified him as the man who made the gestures, he was arrested and booked into Santa Clara County jail on charges of contacting a minor with intent to commit a lewd act and annoying or molesting a child.—
Jason Green,
Mercury News,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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The delays were frustrating, made more complicated by hospitalizations and evaluations that didn’t always address the root of what Avery was experiencing.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
21 July 2025
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That said, diving into AI without a plan can be frustrating.—
Janet Lam,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
Adjective
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If certain emulsifiers are especially gentle on the gut, the food industry could use them to replace the ones that might be more irritating.—
Yasmin Tayag,
The Atlantic,
25 June 2025
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But, there are also some unnecessary (potentially irritating) extras—eucalyptus oil, parfum, and benzyl alcohol.—
Boutayna Chokrane,
Wired News,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pesky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pesky. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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