PEST Synonyms: 93 Similar and Opposite Words

pest

noun

ˈpest

Definition of pest

as in plague

a widespread disease resulting in a high rate of death one of the great pests of the 20th century was the influenza epidemic of 1918, which killed millions across the globe

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in nuisance

one who is obnoxiously annoying stop being a pest to your sister and go find something else to do

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in headache

something that is a source of irritation a never-ending construction project that continues to be a pest for motorists

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of pest Effective long-term control often requires a professional pest management approach that addresses the root cause of the infestation. — Faith Wakefield, USA Today, 16 July 2026 Wood-boring pests that flourish in milder climates have swept north and east, through tens of millions of acres. — Joshua Partlow, The Atlantic, 16 July 2026 The inspector noted requiring the store to have a pest control operator come. — Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026 The pests are particularly fond of new tender hydrangea leaves. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for pest

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pest

Noun

Our lively tour guide regaled us with stories of the residents who inhabited those streets, including merchant Mary King and George Rae, the plague doctor who tended to victims in 1645.

— Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 July 2026
How many malodorously toxic episodes does that make toward the seven plagues in the Old Testament?

— Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026

Definition of plague

Noun

These seemingly minor nuisances are becoming a drain on municipal resources and complicating the rollout of robotaxi service.

— Bloomberg, Mercury News, 14 July 2026
Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, 19, was widely expected to plead guilty to charges of mischief and public nuisance.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 July 2026

Definition of nuisance

Noun

Around one in 13 people experience recurring morning headaches, research suggests, with women and those between the ages of 45 and 64 more likely to have them.

— Kathleen Felton, Washington Post, 17 July 2026
As body temperature rises and humidity limits the body’s ability to cool itself, mild symptoms such as cramps and headaches can progress to shortness of breath, dizziness, confusion, nausea, and ultimately life-threatening heat stroke.

— Laura Schifter, Time, 17 July 2026

Definition of headache

Noun

Worst of all, these trees have become invasive, crossing with other Callery cultivars to create wild hybrids that produce four-inch-long thorns.

— Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 15 July 2026
And as Jones notes, much of that is due to the actors who’ve thrown themselves into the characters, thorns and all.

— Hannah Giorgis Yohannes, Vanity Fair, 13 July 2026

Definition of thorn

Noun

It’s made from fabrics that are tightly woven or antimicrobial and can prevent irritants from settling into the fabric.

— Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
Smoke causes inflammation by triggering the body’s immune system to go into overtime to fight the irritant.

— Seth Borenstein, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026

Definition of irritant

Noun

That is why there has been such a deluge of anger and frustration from the public, even more than from the tournament exits under Southgate.

— Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 19 July 2026
In a Thursday episode of The Ben Shapiro Show, Shapiro hit Vance particularly over his comments on the latter topic and his views on Americans’ frustration with the country’s economic system over the past few decades.

— Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 17 July 2026

Definition of frustration

Browse Nearby Words

pessimists

pest

pester

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Pest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pest. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of pest

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on pest

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

raffish

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes