as in plague
a widespread disease resulting in a high rate of death
the fear that terrorists could unleash a pestilence that would wreak unspeakable havoc
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Recent Examples of pestilence
Being omnivorous, with a very long and efficient gut, humans coped better than other mammals in the face of pestilence and drought, the better to ensure our survival.
—
John Mariani, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
Disease, pestilence and death: Has unsealing King Tut's tomb unleashed an ancient curse?
Fox Nation's 'Tales of Terror: The Curse of King Tut' unravels the media frenzy after the uncovering of the Egyptian pharaoh's ancient tomb and the devastation that followed.
—Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 4 Dec. 2024
Disease, pestilence and death: Has unsealing King Tut's tomb unleashed an ancient curse?
Fox Nation's 'Tales of Terror: The Curse of King Tut' unravels the media frenzy that came on the heels of uncovering the Egyptian pharaoh's ancient tomb and the devastation that followed.
—Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 30 Nov. 2024
Sometimes, what happens at the border — contraband, counterfeit items, illicit drugs, agricultural pestilence and non-native plant species — stays at the border.
—Mandi Wright, Detroit Free Press, 21 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for pestilence
John Mariani, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
Disease, pestilence and death: Has unsealing King Tut's tomb unleashed an ancient curse?
Fox Nation's 'Tales of Terror: The Curse of King Tut' unravels the media frenzy after the uncovering of the Egyptian pharaoh's ancient tomb and the devastation that followed.
—Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 4 Dec. 2024
Disease, pestilence and death: Has unsealing King Tut's tomb unleashed an ancient curse?
Fox Nation's 'Tales of Terror: The Curse of King Tut' unravels the media frenzy that came on the heels of uncovering the Egyptian pharaoh's ancient tomb and the devastation that followed.
—Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 30 Nov. 2024
Sometimes, what happens at the border — contraband, counterfeit items, illicit drugs, agricultural pestilence and non-native plant species — stays at the border.
—Mandi Wright, Detroit Free Press, 21 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for pestilence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pestilence
plague
Noun
-
The plague of injuries hadn’t lifted either, last year’s No. 2 pick Cameron Brink was still recovering from a torn ACL and speedy spark plug Rae Burrell was injured just seconds into the season.—
Mirjam Swanson,
Oc Register,
8 Aug. 2025
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Those individuals, then, via cough or direct contact, can spread plague person-to-person, and that’s called primary pneumonic plague.—
Lauren J. Young,
Scientific American,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pestilence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pestilence. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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