as in poisons
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 pesticides
Corn crops require agricultural land, fresh water and pesticides while kelp, by contrast, can be grown in the ocean with minimal resources.
—
ABC News, 6 May 2026
Habitat destruction, pesticides and light pollution can pose a danger to fireflies.
—Eva Flowe
may 6, Charlotte Observer, 6 May 2026
Relatively simple interventions, like planting wildflowers that give extra food for insects, providing bee nesting sites, and reducing pesticides, can help insects recover.
—Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 6 May 2026
Americans who identify with the Make American Healthy Again movement are often linked to issues such as vaccines, food additives and pesticides.
—Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 6 May 2026
Adding native plants and avoiding pesticides creates a welcoming habitat for bees, butterflies, and birds.
—Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 5 May 2026
Conventional bananas from the grocery store can contain pesticides on the peels, which will be introduced to plants and soil if used in water.
—Haniya Rae, Martha Stewart, 5 May 2026
Nearly 90 percent of respondents reported injuries or illness on the job — afflictions that spanned heat stroke to exposure to pesticides.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 4 May 2026
The farming operations leaned on pesticides to kill bugs and fertilizers to spur crop growth.
—Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 May 2026
ABC News, 6 May 2026
Habitat destruction, pesticides and light pollution can pose a danger to fireflies.
—Eva Flowe
may 6, Charlotte Observer, 6 May 2026
Relatively simple interventions, like planting wildflowers that give extra food for insects, providing bee nesting sites, and reducing pesticides, can help insects recover.
—Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 6 May 2026
Americans who identify with the Make American Healthy Again movement are often linked to issues such as vaccines, food additives and pesticides.
—Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 6 May 2026
Adding native plants and avoiding pesticides creates a welcoming habitat for bees, butterflies, and birds.
—Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 5 May 2026
Conventional bananas from the grocery store can contain pesticides on the peels, which will be introduced to plants and soil if used in water.
—Haniya Rae, Martha Stewart, 5 May 2026
Nearly 90 percent of respondents reported injuries or illness on the job — afflictions that spanned heat stroke to exposure to pesticides.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 4 May 2026
The farming operations leaned on pesticides to kill bugs and fertilizers to spur crop growth.
—Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pesticides
Noun
-
Don’t use poisons, traps, or deterrents that could cause harm.—
Michelle Mastro,
Martha Stewart,
28 Apr. 2026
-
And nobody from the department asked the legislature to reconsider recent laws that gradually banned the strongest rat poisons.—
Susan Shelley,
Daily News,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Using common household products like Epsom salt as a weed killer appeals to many people who want to avoid synthetic herbicides and garden more sustainably.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 May 2026
-
For many homeowners, that means herbicides.—
Ryan Brennan
May 1,
Miami Herald,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Snakes help control rodent and insect populations, reducing the spread of diseases like Lyme disease.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
-
Instead of a withering blast that annihilates you instantly, the real killer would be a highly elevated risk of cancer and degenerative diseases over time.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Natural products inspired by organisms include GLP-1 receptor agonists for weight loss, spider and snake venoms, and compounds from plants and fungi with potential uses in pain relief and cancer treatment.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Toxins in many animal venoms, for example, are peptides.—
Dominique Mosbergen,
Time,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
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
“Pesticides.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pesticides. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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