as in afflicts
to cause persistent suffering to
plagued by a cough for all of last week
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in epidemics
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
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 plagues
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
26 June 2026
Odd moment plagues fourth quarter As the Knicks held on to their fairly sizable lead, a fan ran onto the court, tried to take a selfie with Wembanyama but was quickly apprehended by security.
—
Jacob Lev,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
No, what plagues the Padres is so much deeper.
—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 June 2026
Early has been significantly better on the road than at home this year, a problem that plagues the team as a whole.
—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
3 June 2026
Alas, Schwarzenegger gave the job to Abel Maldonado, now best remembered for advancing the top-two election system that plagues California.
—
Joe Mathews,
Mercury News,
2 June 2026
That spending staved off a recession at the cost of overheating the economy, contributing to the inflation that still plagues Americans.
—
Matt Peterson,
CNBC,
27 May 2026
That is the perfect representation of the fatigue that plagues my life.
—
Tamim Alnuweiri,
InStyle,
23 May 2026
And as a fight over the reauthorization of a key national security surveillance law plagues the lower chamber, moving forward with the DHS funding hasn't appeared to be a top priority.
—
Kaia Hubbard,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
Amy Drew Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 June 2026
Previously, older strains appeared to lack the genetic traits that enabled them to spread, leading scientists to think that early plagues were unlikely to trigger outbreaks.
—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
But there's evidence that earlier plagues were just as deadly.
—
ABC News,
17 June 2026
Its buttery texture melts onto the lips, bypassing the drag and pull that plagues drier drugstore pencils.
—
Micaela English,
Glamour,
30 Apr. 2026
Another kind of typhus, carried by lice and caused by the bacteria Rickettsia prowazekii, produced historic plagues that devastated populations during times of war, famine and poverty, the National Institutes for Health said.
—
Don Sweeney
april 8,
Sacbee.com,
8 Apr. 2026
Most references to the Arbat in the ancient chronicles are connected to fires, amid mention of invasions and plagues and noble births.
—
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
When Pharaoh refused, God sent the 10 plagues to Egypt as punishment, destroying crops and livestock and afflicting the people, according to the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.
—
Lucia Cheng,
Des Moines Register,
1 Apr. 2026
In some modern Jewish congregations, contemporary afflictions and forms of oppression are incorporated into Passover observances alongside the traditional biblical plagues.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
More bureaucracy — in the form of the new stand-alone Department of Gun Violence Reduction — while well-intentioned, isn’t the panacea to what plagues our city, especially as whoever is appointed head of this new department will enjoy too much independence from the mayor.
—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
26 June 2026
Odd moment plagues fourth quarter As the Knicks held on to their fairly sizable lead, a fan ran onto the court, tried to take a selfie with Wembanyama but was quickly apprehended by security.
—
Jacob Lev,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
No, what plagues the Padres is so much deeper.
—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 June 2026
Early has been significantly better on the road than at home this year, a problem that plagues the team as a whole.
—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
3 June 2026
Alas, Schwarzenegger gave the job to Abel Maldonado, now best remembered for advancing the top-two election system that plagues California.
—
Joe Mathews,
Mercury News,
2 June 2026
That spending staved off a recession at the cost of overheating the economy, contributing to the inflation that still plagues Americans.
—
Matt Peterson,
CNBC,
27 May 2026
That is the perfect representation of the fatigue that plagues my life.
—
Tamim Alnuweiri,
InStyle,
23 May 2026
And as a fight over the reauthorization of a key national security surveillance law plagues the lower chamber, moving forward with the DHS funding hasn't appeared to be a top priority.
—
Kaia Hubbard,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
The nets, for the most part, stay out consistently, says Roos, though they are checked regularly, every few days, which prevents not only the algae problem that plagues farmed fish, but also fishermen, as well.
—
Amy Drew Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 June 2026
Previously, older strains appeared to lack the genetic traits that enabled them to spread, leading scientists to think that early plagues were unlikely to trigger outbreaks.
—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
But there's evidence that earlier plagues were just as deadly.
—
ABC News,
17 June 2026
Its buttery texture melts onto the lips, bypassing the drag and pull that plagues drier drugstore pencils.
—
Micaela English,
Glamour,
30 Apr. 2026
Another kind of typhus, carried by lice and caused by the bacteria Rickettsia prowazekii, produced historic plagues that devastated populations during times of war, famine and poverty, the National Institutes for Health said.
—
Don Sweeney
april 8,
Sacbee.com,
8 Apr. 2026
Most references to the Arbat in the ancient chronicles are connected to fires, amid mention of invasions and plagues and noble births.
—
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
When Pharaoh refused, God sent the 10 plagues to Egypt as punishment, destroying crops and livestock and afflicting the people, according to the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.
—
Lucia Cheng,
Des Moines Register,
1 Apr. 2026
In some modern Jewish congregations, contemporary afflictions and forms of oppression are incorporated into Passover observances alongside the traditional biblical plagues.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plagues
Verb
-
Advertisement Mission hijacking in the nonprofit space A similar overcrowding afflicts the pro-democracy space today.
-
These men have arrived here on a wave of isolation that’s swept the country since the pandemic and afflicts boys and men of all ages.
Noun
-
Oura rings are beloved for their ability to track steps, monitor sleep, and even catch illnesses before symptoms begin.
-
Older adults and young children are most sensitive to extreme heat, as are people who are pregnant, overweight, have disabilities or chronic illnesses.
Verb
-
China, which jails human rights activists in Hong Kong, persecutes Uyghurs, has killed hundreds of thousands of Tibetans and has committed genocide against the Falun Gong, is on the UN Human Rights Council.
-
In Russia, the civilian repressive apparatus persecutes the military, which leaps at every chance for revenge.
Noun
-
Sterile insect technique has been used for years to decrease and control pests.
-
Keeping bug spray handy can help protect against annoying bites, while placing citronella candles around your yard or patio can keep pests at bay, especially once the sun sets.
Verb
-
The retrospection tortures her.
-
Later, in one of the movie's most satisfying scenes, Millie locks Andrew in the attic and tortures him by loudly smashing each plate.
Verb
-
In one of the film's most surprising sequences, his character golfs the best game of his life during a terrifying storm, misses a putt, curses God, and gets struck by lightning.
-
Unclear if Instagram curses are transferrable.
Cite this Entry
“Plagues.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plagues. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
