as in to afflict
to cause persistent suffering to
plagued by a cough for all of last week
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in epidemic
a widespread disease resulting in a high rate of death
the Black Death was a plague that killed about one third of Europe's population in the Middle Ages
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of plague
Chandler Rome, New York Times, 28 May 2026
Both previously said that the veteran, plagued by lower-body injuries throughout his career, could come back fairly quickly once cleared to run.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 28 May 2026
Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 22 May 2026
Haffkine, little known to the general public, was the Ukrainian-Jewish scientist whose work on cholera and plague vaccines in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries helped save millions of lives.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for plague
Verb
Both of those benchmarks should be shattered this season, barring the nagging injuries that have plagued his otherwise prolific career.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 28 May 2026
Both previously said that the veteran, plagued by lower-body injuries throughout his career, could come back fairly quickly once cleared to run.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 28 May 2026
Noun
And while the physical risks are well-documented — see the recent hantavirus outbreak, which originated with exposure to an infected rodent — experts caution that the psychological impact of this plague is significant.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 22 May 2026
Haffkine, little known to the general public, was the Ukrainian-Jewish scientist whose work on cholera and plague vaccines in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries helped save millions of lives.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for plague
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plague
Verb
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Losses from cattle afflicted by the parasite could run into the billions of dollars, with larger effects across the American economy, according to USDA estimates.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
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The incursion was the latest in a litany of drone incidents — from both Russia and Ukraine — to afflict NATO member states and leave the 32-member trans-Atlantic organization on edge, drawing strong condemnation from Romania’s allies.—
Stephen McGrath,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Noun
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African health authorities insisted the Ebola outbreak on the continent could be stopped and promised a vaccine would be ready by year-end, even as a top former US health official said the epidemic could be the worst ever.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
29 May 2026
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That epidemic was caused by the Zaire virus, which is the most common and deadliest form of Ebola.—
Jane Weaver,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Jack Hayford, the founder of the King’s University, in Texas, claimed that the film was persecuting Christians, who only wanted to be treated equally.—
Isaac Butler,
New Yorker,
30 May 2026
-
During and shortly after the Spanish Civil War, Franco’s regime, too, persecuted Esperantists for the language’s association with anti–nationalism and anarchism.—
Katie Thornton,
Harpers Magazine,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
Many who lived through the pandemic—and witnessed this inability to combat the lethal pestilence—developed scornful opinions of the medical profession.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 May 2026
-
Parks turned into deserts, great skyscrapers leveled by blows from the tails of the monsters, and the entire population threatened in the panic and pestilence that followed the invasion.—
Rick Kogan,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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She was arrested at a hotel near the barn and booked at the Clark County Juvenile Hall on 12 counts of animal cruelty, including intentionally aiming or torturing a horse, as well as three counts of malicious destruction of property.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
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She was later transported to the Clark County Juvenile Hall and charged with 12 counts of willful or malicious killing, maiming or torturing an animal and three counts of felony malicious destruction of private property valued at more than $5,000, police said.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
Noun
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The tracker takes heat illness data from patient complaints and doctor diagnoses provided by a countywide monitoring project that was previously available only to public health officials.—
Blanca Begert,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
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Dangerous heat and limited cooling Out of the 104 games, 67 of them are being held at locations and times that come with potential danger for heat illnesses, with 39 of those at high risk, according to their historical wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT).—
Rebecca Hersher,
NPR,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Bay Area content creator Kane Parsons pushes back on conventional storytelling, and his hypnotic approach results in one of 2026’s most exhilarating debuts, a existential head trip that GoPros us into a human subconscious besieged by misshapen memories that trap and hold you hostage.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
28 May 2026
-
Over the years, we were constantly besieged with inquiries.—
Gillian Telling,
PEOPLE,
19 May 2026
Noun
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This can stunt growth, impede the roots' ability to absorb water, cause leaf rot, and attract pests.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
31 May 2026
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An inspector will come to check the plants for pests.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plague.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plague. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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