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.

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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 Then, remember, not all pests even require a pesticide, organic or not, to be eradicated. Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 20 June 2026 Don't Use Pesticide on Beetle Grubs Using pesticides to treat beetle grubs (which become June bugs) is not a good strategy to keep skunks away, says Fyffe, because of those insects' essential role in the ecosystem. Felicia Feaster, Martha Stewart, 20 June 2026 The justices are deciding whether a federal law regulating pesticides prevents Roundup users from suing Bayer in state court. Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 17 June 2026 Traditional mosquito control often depends on pesticides. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for pesticide
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pesticide
Noun
  • That second episode was The Lion and the Rose, Joffrey and Margaery’s poison-interrupted wedding.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • Rather than relying solely on poison, the researchers recommend combining multiple control methods, including sealing entry points, improving sanitation, removing food sources and using traps.
    Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 26 June 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
  • One common medicinal use is as an insecticide on the head and the feet.
    Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 June 2026
  • Use a pet-friendly insecticide like Zevo, which relies on concentrated essential oils to knock down roaches and other insects.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 28 June 2026
Noun
  • Suddenly, chemical and pharmaceutical companies saw opportunities to earn money by engineering specific traits, such as herbicide tolerance, into key crop plants, including corn, soybeans, cotton and canola, and patenting those varieties.
    Julie Dawson, The Conversation, 23 June 2026
  • The letter makes presumptions about herbicides and pesticides that do not line up with its proposal outlined on a website detailing the training center project, the statement said.
    Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 21 June 2026
Noun
  • The shipment includes emergency health kits for urgent medical care, including supplies for safe births, newborn care, disease prevention and treatment, according to the United Nations.
    Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
  • The rabies vaccine, if administered immediately after exposure, is nearly 100% successful at preventing the disease, according to the World Health Organization.
    Kelli Arseneau, USA Today, 1 July 2026
Noun
  • Use a fungicide if needed and reduce humidity around the plant.
    SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 22 June 2026
  • One is boscalid, the systemic endocrine-disrupting fungicide that the EPA is reevaluating.
    Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 9 June 2026
Noun
  • Public Luxury is less a dissertation on those tenets than an emotional response to the struggle to achieve it—mouths dripping with venom, eyes swollen with tears, hearts heavy with love.
    Matthew Ismael Ruiz, Pitchfork, 26 June 2026
  • One common misconception is that lionfish are inedible because of their venom.
    Rachel Nuwer, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 June 2026
Noun
  • Portside residents face higher cancer risk from air toxics than 93% of the nation.
    Jose Franco Garcia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 May 2026
  • Asparagus releases a chemical toxic to root knot nematodes, a microscopic round worm that creates multiple disease and growth problems in tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes and peppers.
    Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 3 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Pesticide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pesticide. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.

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