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
Disease relies on a variety of pestiferous vectors for the transmission of infective bacteria.
—Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 31 May 2016
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
Mr. Marín said three factors favored his coffee: the elevation, which is high enough to keep pestiferous coffee borer bugs at bay; the humidity, which stems from passing clouds that provide a steady stream of moisture; and the red soil.
—Gustave Axelson, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2017
Amal El-Mohtar, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2023
Disease relies on a variety of pestiferous vectors for the transmission of infective bacteria.
—Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 31 May 2016
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
Mr. Marín said three factors favored his coffee: the elevation, which is high enough to keep pestiferous coffee borer bugs at bay; the humidity, which stems from passing clouds that provide a steady stream of moisture; and the red soil.
—Gustave Axelson, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pestiferous
Adjective
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While the wrinkling could be slightly annoying for some, given the luxurious feel of the sateen cover, the wrinkling wasn’t a deal breaker.—
Rebecca Jones,
Southern Living,
30 May 2025
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For anyone with wide feet who’s used to settling for less in terms of fit, this slip-on style is a breath of fresh air—no annoying break-in period, no hotspots, and no slipping around.—
Lauren Paige Richeson,
Health,
29 May 2025
Adjective
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For some people, double cleansing may be too irritating.—
Sarah Bence,
Verywell Health,
15 May 2025
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Not just the threat-of-extinction stuff, which includes Bassett’s POTUS debating which American city to blow up as a preemptive gesture, but by its own irritating God’s-eye omniscience that rarely allows the suspense to spool out in the present.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2025
Adjective
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The New York Mets scored three runs in the seventh to snap a 1-1 tie en route to a 5-1 win over the Red Sox on a frustrating night.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
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Both English teams have been experiencing frustrating, parallel worlds as the pair have struggled mightily in the Premier League.—
David Close,
CNN Money,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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Nothing has officially happened yet, but the tension is disturbing with the consequences potentially devastating.—
Mac Engel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 May 2025
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That’s a quite disturbing possibility since AGI could wield such an act on a scale of immense magnitude and with globally adverse consequences.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pestiferous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pestiferous. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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