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 authors speculated that pesticides might be a contributing factor.
—
Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 20 Apr. 2026
The book raised issues about conservation and the environmental problems caused by synthetic pesticides.
—Makenna Morrison Gary, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2026
Batches of marijuana produced by Levels IV and sold in Denver, Aurora, Northglenn, Broomfield and Colorado Springs was contaminated with the pesticide chlorfenapyr, the Department of Public Health and Environment and Department of Revenue said in an alert.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026
Means has faced criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle for her controversial stances on vaccines, birth control and pesticides.
—Aria Bendix, NBC news, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pesticide
Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 20 Apr. 2026
The book raised issues about conservation and the environmental problems caused by synthetic pesticides.
—Makenna Morrison Gary, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2026
Batches of marijuana produced by Levels IV and sold in Denver, Aurora, Northglenn, Broomfield and Colorado Springs was contaminated with the pesticide chlorfenapyr, the Department of Public Health and Environment and Department of Revenue said in an alert.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026
Means has faced criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle for her controversial stances on vaccines, birth control and pesticides.
—Aria Bendix, NBC news, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pesticide
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pesticide
Noun
-
The applicator's reservoir is first filled with the poison.—
David Beaulieu,
The Spruce,
11 Apr. 2026
-
After the play-within-a-play, there’s no turning back, and the blood flows like wine or poison.—
Katie Walsh,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In the 1970s, Claudia Miller, an allergist and environmental scientist, was studying how toxicants affect people in industrial settings and began noticing strange symptoms emerging after certain kinds of chemical exposures.—
Kate Raphael,
Discover Magazine,
23 June 2025
-
Then, using a simulation, the team found that the warmth and weight of the sleeping child could increase the off-gassing of the toxicants.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
15 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
And board member Mavis Bates asked if American elm trees are susceptible to Dutch elm disease, to which Fahnestock said there are steps the county could take like using insecticide or fungicide, doing regular inspections and planting the tree away from existing elm trees so disease doesn’t spread.—
Molly Morrow,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Some roaches like German cockroaches actually develop a resistance to insecticide, so multiple methods may be needed to get rid of them.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
How To Target Tough Areas For larger areas that are too difficult to maintain in one go, work on the perimeter with mowing, pulling the vines by hand, or spraying herbicide to keep it from spreading to other parts of the yard.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Decades of American farmers’ overreliance on both fertilizers and quick chemical solutions like pesticides and herbicides have slowly chipped away at soil health for decades.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Researchers have spent decades developing potatoes for chip makers that can grow in all kinds of climates, avoid diseases and pests, sit in storage for months and still deliver a satisfying crunch.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
-
After all, inflammation is a major driver of not only gum disease but also the chronic conditions listed above.—
Michele Ross,
SELF,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The fungicide, also known as DBCP, became notorious decades ago when male workers on Latin American banana plantations became sterile after the chemical was absorbed into their skin.—
Noelle Phillips,
Denver Post,
17 Apr. 2026
-
So the fungus becomes resistant to the fungicide and, at the same time, our medical azoles [a class of antifungal drugs] do not work as well anymore.—
Gabrielle Emanuel,
NPR,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The injured party should not apply a tourniquet, apply ice, try to suck out the venom or cut the wound, the agency warned.—
Sam Gillette,
PEOPLE,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The two alternate versions of each other trade insults, but Spidey Miles charges up an electric venom shock and frees himself.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Taking supporting women’s wrongs—and rights—to new levels, everyone’s favorite toxic on-screen Girl Boss duo are back for a fourth season of Industry: Harper Stern and Yasmin Kara-Hanani.—
Chloe Laws,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Jan. 2026
-
The Michigan Legislature passed a law in 2008 meant to protect the public from harmful electronic waste toxics.—
Nushrat Rahman,
Freep.com,
27 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pesticide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pesticide. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
