1
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
2
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
3
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
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Recent Examples of pest
Animalia explains that woylies were once considered pests and were exterminated in huge numbers.
—
Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2025
The cause is probably a temporary environmental condition such as hot weather, water stress or insect damage by pests.
—Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025
That pulled him into online gardening forums, tomato discussion groups, and eventually weekly potluck dinners where enthusiasts traded Appalachian beans and swapped tips on pest control.
—Lila Hempel-Edgers, Charlotte Observer, 2 Sep. 2025
Farmers can test strategies for irrigation, fertilization, and pest control in a risk-free virtual environment before implementing them in the field.
—Monica Sanders, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pest
Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2025
The cause is probably a temporary environmental condition such as hot weather, water stress or insect damage by pests.
—Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025
That pulled him into online gardening forums, tomato discussion groups, and eventually weekly potluck dinners where enthusiasts traded Appalachian beans and swapped tips on pest control.
—Lila Hempel-Edgers, Charlotte Observer, 2 Sep. 2025
Farmers can test strategies for irrigation, fertilization, and pest control in a risk-free virtual environment before implementing them in the field.
—Monica Sanders, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pest
Noun
-
In 2003, the city of Chicago participated in TOPOFF 2, a national terrorism response exercise simulating a radiological attack in Seattle and the release of pneumonic plague in Chicago.—
Lauren Buitta,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Fantasy romance trilogy The Magic of the Lost barrels to its epic conclusion, following The Faithless’ one-two punch of the Withering plague returning to Balladaire and queen Luca asking soldier Touraine to be her general and her wife.—
Natalie Zutter
September 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Couples who respect yellow lights tend to build trust, because hesitation is treated as valuable input, not as a nuisance.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
-
In this era of college athletics what was once a nuisance and an annoyance — college classes — now often appear to not even be a part of the equation.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In a recent study by Climate Rights International, workers spoke of experiencing excessive sweating, headaches, fever, nausea, heat palpitations, dehydration and temporary vision loss.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Soldiers reported headaches and nausea, leading Congress to cut funding in 2022.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Primus has expressed skepticism about rail mergers and would likely have been a thorn in the side of this rail merger.—
Jeremy Lott,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The Angels pulled out a 4-3 victory as Jo Adell remained a thorn in the Royals’ side.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Anxiety can contribute to feelings of frustration, annoyance, or anger.—
Angela Ryan Lee,
Verywell Health,
4 Sep. 2025
-
And yet, by the end, my confusion and annoyance almost felt like the point.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The test identifies over 120 allergens, including food intolerances, environmental triggers, and household irritants.—
Kasey Caminiti,
USA Today,
6 Sep. 2025
-
This product can turn into a big irritant if ingested or inhaled, and cause several digestive or respiratory issues.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
There have been frustrations over how long the process has taken, with the leadership uncertainty further complicated by the exit of CEO Alex Mahon over the summer.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Poor Harriet, a gallery assistant who has been harassed since the pilot, gets the brunt of Laura’s frustration.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pest. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
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