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.
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Recent Examples of pesticide
There are environmental factors as well, including a potential link to microplastics and a potential link to pesticides.
—
Eva Flowe
april 27, Charlotte Observer, 27 Apr. 2026
Use ant bait versus ant-killing pesticides.
—Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 25 Apr. 2026
Think about it — there’s minimal ground disturbance, very little development and typically no pesticide use.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 23 Apr. 2026
The volunteers worked with the Audubon Society, removing the mothballs by hand and properly discarding bagfuls of the product, typically used as an in-home pesticide.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pesticide
Eva Flowe
april 27, Charlotte Observer, 27 Apr. 2026
Use ant bait versus ant-killing pesticides.
—Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 25 Apr. 2026
Think about it — there’s minimal ground disturbance, very little development and typically no pesticide use.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 23 Apr. 2026
The volunteers worked with the Audubon Society, removing the mothballs by hand and properly discarding bagfuls of the product, typically used as an in-home pesticide.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pesticide
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pesticide
Noun
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The authors reported there were 90,000 calls to poison control centers involving these products in 2023 alone.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
1 May 2026
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Don’t use poisons, traps, or deterrents that could cause harm.—
Michelle Mastro,
Martha Stewart,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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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
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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
-
Malathion is often used for the insecticide and Captan for fungicide.—
Calvin Finch,
San Antonio Express-News,
28 Apr. 2026
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The book detailed the devastating effects to wildlife—especially birds—from the widespread use of the insecticide DDT.—
Andrea Thompson,
Scientific American,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In 1984, Monsanto and six other chemical companies agreed to pay a $180 million settlement to Vietnam veterans who were exposed to the chemical herbicide Agent Orange during the Vietnam War.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
7 May 2026
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The employee failed to clean the equipment and sprayed a mixture of herbicide and the fertilizer on the greens.—
Stephen Hudak,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 May 2026
Noun
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Hantavirus disease is considered rare, with 890 cases reported in the United States between 1993 and 2023.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
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In 2024, for example, more than 700 newborns died from spontaneous bleeding in their brains, which could have been complicated by liver disease or prematurity.—
Lee Hutchinson,
ArsTechnica,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
Spray a fungicide once every seven to 14 days and stop treatment once temperatures reach 90 degrees.—
Tim Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
3 May 2026
-
Peach leaf curl causes stone fruit leaves to curl and pucker, even on trees sprayed with fungicide and horticultural oil last winter.—
Nan Sterman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
Noun
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Hence, iron likely provides the structural integrity needed to hold struggling prey long enough for the venom to take effect.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Movement can help venom spread through the body.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Manufacturers should be diligently working to clean up their supply chains and manufacturing practices to ensure their products are free of PFAS and other toxics.—
Sarah Todd,
STAT,
1 May 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Pesticide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pesticide. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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