pestiferous

adjective

pe-ˈsti-f(ə-)rəs How to pronounce pestiferous (audio)
Definition of pestiferousnext
as in annoying
causing annoyance a pestiferous weed that has given gardeners no end of grief

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 pestiferous 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
  1. annoying
  2. irritating
  3. frustrating
  4. disturbing
Adjective
  • The Moon shifts our mood toward fairness and cooperation, making compromise less annoying than usual.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 July 2026
  • After all, if my brothers could be annoying, affectionate, and self-aggrandizing all at once, why couldn’t a man in the history books?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 July 2026
Definition of annoying
Adjective
  • December 22 – January 19 A small adjustment could make your whole day less irritating.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 July 2026
  • The irritating and inflammatory nature of the smog caused hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers to become short of breath or to develop symptoms from underlying heart disease.
    — Rebecca Florsheim, STAT, 17 July 2026
Definition of irritating
Adjective
  • There’s nothing more frustrating than booking a trip to paradise only to have your holiday consumed with bad weather.
    — Kaitlyn McInnis, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • In a matter of seconds, the Current’s home victory over the NWSL’s top team turned into a frustrating draw.
    — Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 23 July 2026
Definition of frustrating
Adjective
  • Stuck together, wandering through thick green woods for days, the conversation between Sam and Paul drifts in an increasingly disturbing direction.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 22 July 2026
  • Wilde noted how Musk has perpetuated some of incel culture’s more disturbing ideology, particularly the belief that men are more powerful than nature.
    — Zack Sharf, Variety, 22 July 2026
Definition of disturbing

Browse Nearby Words

pesticides
pestiferous
pestilence
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pestiferous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pestiferous. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All