as in annoying
causing annoyance
a pestiferous weed that has given gardeners no end of grief
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Recent Examples of pestiferous
Structured as entries in Emily’s field journal, the novel lays out her aims, her curmudgeonly nature and her pestiferous relationship with one Wendell Bambleby — a charismatic fellow researcher and sometime rival who Emily suspects is a fairy himself.
—
Amal El-Mohtar, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2023
The whole event was lousy with pestiferous Bible-banging.
—Charles P. Pierce, Esquire, 12 Dec. 2017
After the Thirty Years’ War (1618-48), the Dutch were probably eager for reminders of ordinary domestic life, even pestiferous ones, and for images of quiet and tenderness.
—Willard Spiegelman, WSJ, 18 Aug. 2017
Disease relies on a variety of pestiferous vectors for the transmission of infective bacteria.
—Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 31 May 2016
Amal El-Mohtar, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2023
The whole event was lousy with pestiferous Bible-banging.
—Charles P. Pierce, Esquire, 12 Dec. 2017
After the Thirty Years’ War (1618-48), the Dutch were probably eager for reminders of ordinary domestic life, even pestiferous ones, and for images of quiet and tenderness.
—Willard Spiegelman, WSJ, 18 Aug. 2017
Disease relies on a variety of pestiferous vectors for the transmission of infective bacteria.
—Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 31 May 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pestiferous
Adjective
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Noise limits In the 2010s, a common concern about wind turbines was that the swishing noise was annoying or even dangerous to residents’ health.—
Elizabeth Weise,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
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Adhesive Residue No one likes to battle the annoying sticky residue left behind from price tags or brand labels, but those are no match for your steam cleaner.—
Rae Ford,
Martha Stewart,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Rubbing alcohol isn’t corrosive to metals, doesn’t stain clothes, and doesn’t cause the same irritating fumes as working with bleach does.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 Feb. 2026
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The hypoallergenic face serum is free from potentially irritating ingredients, such as parabens and synthetic fragrances, too.—
Lauren Taylor,
Southern Living,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Ignoring Temperature and Environment Every oven behaves differently, which can make baking frustrating at first.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
22 Feb. 2026
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More and more hard-to-trace checks are laundered among political committees, with their murky-sounding names and Tallahassee addresses, frustrating attempts by voters or the media to figure out exactly who’s giving to whom.—
Steve Bousquet,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Nell Tiger Free stars as a young novice who works at a Catholic orphanage plagued by mysterious, disturbing circumstances.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Feb. 2026
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In an initial statement Wednesday, Blalock said the video is disturbing and the parents and families of these students should be embarrassed.—
Allie Hennard,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pestiferous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pestiferous. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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