as in annoying
causing annoyance
these pestilential little mosquitoes!
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 pestilential
Here a book worth considering is ‘From third world to first’ - Lee Kwan Yew's first person story of transforming Singapore from a pestilential swamp into a metropolis.
—
Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
But life back then was pretty sketchy and precarious even without pestilential rats running around, unbound.
—Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 July 2023
He is reported to have participated in a pestilential online gun culture, replete with tasteless japing about mass shootings.
—wsj.com, 12 May 2023
This includes whenever there the existence of any malignant, contagious, or pestilential disease in the County, to investigate such report and ascertain, as correctly as possible, the causes which produced such disease, to adopt measures to arrest its progress.
—Baltimore Sun, 17 May 2022
The Spanish flu washed over the world in three pestilential waves during 1918 and 1919.
—Damon Linker, The Week, 23 June 2021
Our national experience with the role of state and local governments in casino gambling should have taught us that there is a world of difference between sensible reform and making government a revenue-seeking partner in a pestilential business.
—The Editors, National Review, 7 Dec. 2020
Adding to these burdens were the poor soil and periodic ravages of the pestilential boll weevil.
—Trevor Paulhus, Smithsonian, 19 Sep. 2019
Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
But life back then was pretty sketchy and precarious even without pestilential rats running around, unbound.
—Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 July 2023
He is reported to have participated in a pestilential online gun culture, replete with tasteless japing about mass shootings.
—wsj.com, 12 May 2023
This includes whenever there the existence of any malignant, contagious, or pestilential disease in the County, to investigate such report and ascertain, as correctly as possible, the causes which produced such disease, to adopt measures to arrest its progress.
—Baltimore Sun, 17 May 2022
The Spanish flu washed over the world in three pestilential waves during 1918 and 1919.
—Damon Linker, The Week, 23 June 2021
Our national experience with the role of state and local governments in casino gambling should have taught us that there is a world of difference between sensible reform and making government a revenue-seeking partner in a pestilential business.
—The Editors, National Review, 7 Dec. 2020
Adding to these burdens were the poor soil and periodic ravages of the pestilential boll weevil.
—Trevor Paulhus, Smithsonian, 19 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pestilential
Adjective
-
Frankie Montas Montas is slated to miss all of next season, and so his $17 million player option is easier than any decision in those annoying Capital One ads.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
-
There was one distraction during the number when the director made their performance look like a TikTok video, complete with a stream of annoying comments to the left of Leavitt’s tush.—
Lynette Rice,
Deadline,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Inflation remains stubbornly high and the economic outlook subdued, frustrating efforts to repair tattered public services and ease the cost of living.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Bare patches dotting an otherwise green lawn can be frustrating.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The more irritating the characters get, the more compelling the movie becomes.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
-
This silky, fragrance-free formula delivers all the benefits of retinol—like smoothing fine lines, refining texture, and evening skin tone—without a heavy or irritating feel.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The private messages offer a disturbing glimpse into how Jones — who is looking to oust incumbent Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares this fall — describes his political adversaries in private conversations.—
Amy DeLaura,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Oct. 2025
-
There were masks and body suits made of female skin, along with human skulls for soup bowls and other disturbing oddities.—
Christopher Rudolph,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pestilential.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pestilential. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share