pesticide

Definition of pesticidenext
as in poison
a chemical that is used to kill animals or insects that damage plants or crops The family farm has gradually moved away from the use of pesticides.

Related Words

Relevance

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 pesticide The agency said that prior owners of the property conducted pesticide research and, according to the state and county’s own filing, mismanaged hazardous materials at the property for decades. Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2026 Those measures include checking the foundations of each portable classroom, applying pesticides and increasing maintenance support for daily vacuuming. Conor McGill, CBS News, 16 Aug. 2026 In the midst of DPR’s updates to its 2006 pesticide enforcement regulations, environmental and farmworker advocacy groups continue to call for a complete overhaul of the state’s pesticide use system. Vince Basada, Sacbee.com, 15 Aug. 2026 Bedbug populations in developed countries were decimated after World War II due to the widespread use of the pesticide DDT. ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pesticide
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pesticide
Noun
  • Rather than being a delightful add-on, rechargeability in a poison-snooper could save lives in non-electrified remote locations, or in disaster zones where electricity is temporarily unavailable.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Wildlife officials had found that many of these poisons worked their way through the food chain, sickening and killing owls, raptors, coyotes and mountain lions.
    Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Researchers found that 40% of the 97 participants had higher concentrations of a toxicant associated with the defunct LCP Chemicals plant than the national average.
    CBS News, CBS News, 12 June 2026
  • The ash from open burning can also contaminate soil and groundwater with persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals and other toxicants, creating more chances for people to be exposed to them through food and water.
    Ellen M. Considine, The Conversation, 2 June 2026
Noun
  • That building has since had two temporary closures for inspection and insecticide applications.
    Paula Wethington, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • There is also a late-summer timeframe when an insecticide can be applied to control the insect in its crawler stage.
    Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Though designed for crops engineered to tolerate it, dicamba is widely considered a volatile herbicide because of its tendency to drift.
    Christiana Freitag, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026
  • In 2001, Fairfax lawmakers enacted a ban on all herbicides, insecticides and rodenticides on public land.
    Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Those enrolled have experienced CLBP due to degenerative disc disease (DDD) for less than five years.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Prices of the precious commodity have swung dramatically from one season to the next, particularly as issues such as climate change, water scarcity and pest and disease pressures persist.
    Sam Meredith, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Select a fungicide labeled for leaf spots on ornamentals and follow the label.
    Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Neem oil, copper fungicide, or soil amendments are safer and more effective alternatives for common houseplant problems.
    Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 10 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Ultimately, the snakes posing the greatest danger are often not those with the strongest venom, but those most likely to encounter people far from adequate healthcare.
    Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The venom is mildly toxic to mammals such as mice, and it is reported to only cause inflammation and skin discoloration in humans.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • In late May, about 50,000 people in Orange County were evacuated because, at a Garden Grove site operated by GKN Aerospace, tanks holding a volatile hazardous chemical called methyl methacrylate were at risk of exploding or leaking toxics.
    Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
  • Munoz is an independent toxicologist working in collaboration with MAHA against pesticides and toxics.
    Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 10 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pesticide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pesticide. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on pesticide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster