plague 1 of 2

plague

2 of 2

noun

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

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb plague contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of plague are annoy, harass, harry, pester, tease, and worry. While all these words mean "to disturb or irritate by persistent acts," plague implies a painful and persistent affliction.

plagued all her life by poverty

In what contexts can annoy take the place of plague?

While in some cases nearly identical to plague, annoy implies disturbing one's composure or peace of mind by intrusion, interference, or petty attacks.

you're doing that just to annoy me

When would harass be a good substitute for plague?

The words harass and plague can be used in similar contexts, but harass implies petty persecutions or burdensome demands that exhaust one's nervous or mental power.

harassed on all sides by creditors

When is it sensible to use harry instead of plague?

Although the words harry and plague have much in common, harry may imply heavy oppression or maltreatment.

the strikers had been harried by thugs

When might pester be a better fit than plague?

In some situations, the words pester and plague are roughly equivalent. However, pester stresses the repetition of petty attacks.

constantly pestered with trivial complaints

When can tease be used instead of plague?

The words tease and plague are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, tease suggests an attempt to break down one's resistance or rouse to wrath.

children teased the dog

When is worry a more appropriate choice than plague?

While the synonyms worry and plague are close in meaning, worry implies an incessant goading or attacking that drives one to desperation.

pursued a policy of worrying the enemy

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 plague
Verb
The draft threatens Lionel and David’s taciturn romance, while Shattuck’s script hinges more on gestures and exchanges than literal declarations of feeling, and both the traumas of war and existential uncertainty about his sexuality and desires eventually plague David. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 21 May 2025 Tumult and violence plagued Peru at the time, spurred by the brutal Shining Path insurgency and the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement. Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 21 May 2025
Noun
Photo: Everett Collection Nearly killed in a motorcycle accident, a young woman (adult-film star Marilyn Chambers) receives an experimental surgery that transforms her into a 20th-century Typhoid Mary, unleashing a zombie plague via a pulsing stinger in her armpit. A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025 Beyond this, my only advice is to avoid resellers like the plague. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for plague
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plague
Verb
  • Recent research suggests that the global area afflicted by lethal heat waves would triple in size in coming decades even if global climate agreements — which President Trump exited on his first day in office — were kept.
    Saul Elbein, The Hill, 14 May 2025
  • An estimated 75,000 people are afflicted with this disease in our country.
    Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 8 May 2025
Noun
  • Read Next National Amid loneliness ‘epidemic’ in US, one group maintains strong community, poll finds April 25, 2025 2:37 PM Read Next National One racial group in US is more religious than others, poll finds.
    Natalie Demaree, Miami Herald, 21 May 2025
  • The nation’s chief health officer advocated letting a measles epidemic run its course, unimpeded by vaccinations.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 20 May 2025
Verb
  • Some of the journalists who were terminated on Thursday were from countries with repressive governments that persecute journalists for independent reporting, Mr. Abramowitz said in the email to employees on Thursday.
    Minho Kim, New York Times, 16 May 2025
  • According to tradition, Peter traveled to Rome to spread the Christian message and was martyred there during the reign of the Emperor Nero, around 64 A.D., as Christians were being persecuted.
    Vanessa Gera, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2025
Noun
  • In recent years, the censorship and false narratives of woke cancel culture have transformed our great universities into greenhouses for this deadly and virulent pestilence.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2025
  • 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
Verb
  • Investigators say the group allegedly lured the former business partner back from Italy to access his cryptocurrency account and then kidnapped and tortured him for weeks.
    Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 May 2025
  • Prosecutors said the adults tortured the children, beating them daily, depriving them of food and strangling them to the point of passing out.
    Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2025
Noun
  • With this move, the FDA will limit the vaccine’s availability later this year to older adults and those who may be at risk of severe illness, Reuters reported.
    Saleen Martin, USA Today, 23 May 2025
  • Advertisement Advertisement The group’s report presents four main drivers of chronic childhood illness, laying particular blame on the food children eat and their daily habits.
    Alana Semuels, Time, 22 May 2025
Verb
  • The construction is about halfway complete, according to the former president's foundation, but it has been besieged by significant delays and has gone well over budget.
    Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 7 May 2025
  • Ellie’s gets bitten After fleeing the TV station and killing two Wolves in a remixed turn of events, Ellie and Dina find themselves in a subway tunnel besieged by both WLF and infected.
    Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 5 May 2025
Noun
  • This perennial prairie native thrives in poor soil and summer heat, tolerating drought, deer, and pests.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 18 May 2025
  • Corteva supplies farmers with products for pest and disease control, as well as seeds, livestock feed and nutrient maximizers, which help stabilize nitrogen levels in the soil.
    Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Plague.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plague. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

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