plagued 1 of 2

adjective

as in tormented

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plagued

2 of 2

verb

past tense of plague
as in afflicted
to cause persistent suffering to plagued by a cough for all of last week

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 plagued
Verb
Liam Gallagher continued his longtime legacy of talking crap about other artists with his recap of this year’s World Cup halftime show, tweeting out various annoyances that plagued him. — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 20 July 2026 Both Boeing and Airbus have been plagued by supply crunches following the Covid-19 pandemic, and have struggled to meet demand for new aircraft from customers. — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 20 July 2026 Legette took steps this offseason to avoid the hamstring problems that have plagued him. — The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 20 July 2026 Trevor Story has been out since May 15 after undergoing surgery for a sports hernia that had plagued him since the spring, and recently the Red Sox shortstop has become a more frequent participant in the club’s pregame drills. — Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 19 July 2026 Nolan’s film has already been knocked by some critics for its psychologically modern portrayal of Odysseus as a man plagued by PTSD and haunted by that horse. — Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026 Municipal leaders don’t expect the new Citizens’ Assembly will eradicate a system that has its roots in colonial times and has plagued governors and legislators for decades. — Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 17 July 2026 Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey follows the incredible journey of King Odysseus back to his kingdom of Ithaca, plagued by mythical perils along the way. — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 13 July 2026 That’s a far cry from the financial troubles that plagued the club more than two decades ago. — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 13 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plagued
  1. frustrated
  2. afflicted
  3. aggravated
  4. persecuted
  5. tortured
  6. besieged
  7. tested
  8. cursed
Adjective
  • In addition to believing, plain and simple, that Shamea crossed the line with her Miss Diane tea, the newbies also seem frustrated by how much the feud is interfering with the group dynamic and the show’s levity.
    — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 20 July 2026
  • Tuchel is now facing a significant public backlash at home, from fans who feel frustrated that this tournament has ended the way that so many others have.
    — Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 18 July 2026
Definition of frustrated
Verb
  • Forty-nine of the afflicted have been hospitalized; of those, thirty-four have gone home.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 15 July 2026
  • Jonestown afflicted Naipaul’s vision, his way of deciphering not just political manias but the dreariness of urban life, the perpetual doom of the nuclear-arms race.
    — Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 14 July 2026
Definition of afflicted
Adjective
  • Parsons was also previously convicted of burglary and aggravated battery.
    — Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 8 July 2026
  • The individuals have been charged with one or a combination of offenses including simple assault, conspiracy, theft, failure to disperse, disorderly conduct, aggravated assault, riot and others.
    — Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026
Definition of aggravated
Verb
  • Also on Wednesday, Blume returned a Pablo Picasso bust, Fernande/Beatrice (1905), to the descendants of German-Jewish dealer Alfred Flechtheim, who was persecuted by the Reich, reports TAN.
    — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 16 July 2026
  • Representatives of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine have been persecuted.
    — Mark Temnycky, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
Definition of persecuted
Adjective
  • Natalie Portman famously saw a twisted version of herself in mirrors as part of her Oscar-winning performance as a tortured ballerina in Black Swan.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 17 July 2026
  • It’s held together beautifully by Bailey, who’s easy to root for as the tortured protagonist, and, as one half (along with her sister) of the musical duo Chloe x Halle, knows a thing or two about the musician’s plight.
    — Marlow Stern, Variety, 26 June 2026
Definition of tortured
Verb
  • Meanwhile, the palace has been besieged by loutish suitors, led by the scheming Antinous (Robert Pattinson), all of them vying for the queen’s hand in remarriage and mooching off the absent king’s food and wine.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
  • There was a dinner for 500 after the fashion show on Tuesday night, and he was besieged by guests wanting to talk to him, talk his picture, take selfies, and just bask in his glory.
    — Dylan Jones, Robb Report, 16 July 2026
Definition of besieged
Adjective
  • But summer back in New York, amid the fug of the city, requires a return to a tested and true formula.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 22 June 2025
  • The End Kidney Deaths Act finally offers a tested and reasonable solution.
    — Lindsay Gutierrez, Baltimore Sun, 13 May 2025
Definition of tested
Verb
  • The pseudonymous title character, a depressed, drunken, belligerent twenty-six-year-old advice columnist, has no real hardships of his own and is cursed by doubt.
    — Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 1 July 2026
  • Unlike Tithonus, cursed to age forever, electoral rules can and should be renewed.
    — Peter Gosselin, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
Definition of cursed

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Cite this Entry

“Plagued.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plagued. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of plagued for Spanish Speakers

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