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
Munis Raza, Interesting Engineering, 10 Mar. 2026
Greenblatt suggested that a major misconception of antisemitism that plagues universities is the idea that anti-Zionism is a political stance, rather than one of prejudice.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 10 Mar. 2026
While a fuel crisis plagues the people of Lagos, Nigeria, a young cab driver dreams of a better life.
—Jourdain Searles, HollywoodReporter, 2 Mar. 2026
Notably from a distribution standpoint, Double Vision’s sister production services business will assist with everything from music clearances – something that plagues many microdrama makers – and format bibles to localization services and local productions in key markets.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 22 Feb. 2026
The damned disease especially plagues Mexican American men like me, and many aren’t getting screened.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Similarly, programs that encourage regular movement and mental breaks help mitigate the burnout that often plagues high-growth teams.
—Serenity Gibbons, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
So while so much of this matchup is strength versus strength, what might matter most is which team’s weakness plagues them the least.
—Daniel Popper, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Cinnamon has been widely touted as a cure-all for anything that plagues the garden.
—Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 12 Dec. 2025
Evelyne Musambi, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2026
Lack of evidence plagues investigation Investigators have combed Guthrie's home and the surrounding areas, but little physical evidence has been recovered.
—Helen Rummel, AZCentral.com, 23 Feb. 2026
The Bible states that as a result, God unleashed 10 plagues against Egypt and its people.
—Seth Jacobson, wickedlocal.com, 19 Feb. 2026
As a small rural settlement is swiftly and ruthlessly stripped bare by the twin plagues of a diphtheria epidemic and spreading wildfires, the film eventually descends into a near-literal hellscape, though even when pandemonium takes over on screen, Van Dusen’s formal control never wavers.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
But the add-on to lock devices separated from their owner’s watch is a major plus point, especially as the smartphone theft pandemic plagues users worldwide.
—Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Rubbermaid EasyFindLids Food Storage Containers Finding the right lid to fit your food storage container plagues just about all of us, but this set solves that problem.
—Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 30 Nov. 2025
Sure, to be entirely historically accurate, negative things like plagues, beheadings and poverty would likely factor in to the villagers’ lives.
—Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
Shifting to the execution phase By securing graphite early, the company aims to mitigate supply chain volatility that often plagues advanced nuclear projects.
—Munis Raza, Interesting Engineering, 10 Mar. 2026
Greenblatt suggested that a major misconception of antisemitism that plagues universities is the idea that anti-Zionism is a political stance, rather than one of prejudice.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 10 Mar. 2026
While a fuel crisis plagues the people of Lagos, Nigeria, a young cab driver dreams of a better life.
—Jourdain Searles, HollywoodReporter, 2 Mar. 2026
Notably from a distribution standpoint, Double Vision’s sister production services business will assist with everything from music clearances – something that plagues many microdrama makers – and format bibles to localization services and local productions in key markets.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 22 Feb. 2026
The damned disease especially plagues Mexican American men like me, and many aren’t getting screened.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Similarly, programs that encourage regular movement and mental breaks help mitigate the burnout that often plagues high-growth teams.
—Serenity Gibbons, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
So while so much of this matchup is strength versus strength, what might matter most is which team’s weakness plagues them the least.
—Daniel Popper, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Cinnamon has been widely touted as a cure-all for anything that plagues the garden.
—Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 12 Dec. 2025
Noun
At least 25 are killed as flash flooding plagues Nairobi.
—Evelyne Musambi, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2026
Lack of evidence plagues investigation Investigators have combed Guthrie's home and the surrounding areas, but little physical evidence has been recovered.
—Helen Rummel, AZCentral.com, 23 Feb. 2026
The Bible states that as a result, God unleashed 10 plagues against Egypt and its people.
—Seth Jacobson, wickedlocal.com, 19 Feb. 2026
As a small rural settlement is swiftly and ruthlessly stripped bare by the twin plagues of a diphtheria epidemic and spreading wildfires, the film eventually descends into a near-literal hellscape, though even when pandemonium takes over on screen, Van Dusen’s formal control never wavers.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
But the add-on to lock devices separated from their owner’s watch is a major plus point, especially as the smartphone theft pandemic plagues users worldwide.
—Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Rubbermaid EasyFindLids Food Storage Containers Finding the right lid to fit your food storage container plagues just about all of us, but this set solves that problem.
—Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 30 Nov. 2025
Sure, to be entirely historically accurate, negative things like plagues, beheadings and poverty would likely factor in to the villagers’ lives.
—Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 25 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plagues
Verb
-
Lupus, which afflicts some five million people worldwide, is a leading cause of death among young women.—
Jason Liebowitz,
New Yorker,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Put simply, notaming deficits through a balance of revenue increases and lower spending, but abandoning spending discipline, the curse that afflicts Europe to this day.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
1 Mar. 2026
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.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
In Russia, the civilian repressive apparatus persecutes the military, which leaps at every chance for revenge.—
Stephen Kotkin,
Foreign Affairs,
16 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Experts continue to recommend vaccination as a tactic to prevent viral illnesses and chronic diseases like lung cancer.—
Emily Kay Votruba,
EverydayHealth.com,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The ability to provide something that is close to the real thing will be groundbreaking for families touched by ALS, Cerebral Palsy, Motor Neuron disease and other debilitating illnesses.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The retrospection tortures her.—
Alexandra Rockey Fleming,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Later, in one of the movie's most satisfying scenes, Millie locks Andrew in the attic and tortures him by loudly smashing each plate.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
So if those pests show up, instead of one or two plants dying, all of them do.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The seeds could have invasive species, pests and plant diseases that could damage the state’s $47 billion agriculture economy, according to a news release.—
Jessica Seaman,
Denver Post,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Unclear if Instagram curses are transferrable.—
Clio Chang,
Curbed,
18 Dec. 2025
-
The driver curses at those outside and inside the car.—
Jason Kravarik,
CNN Money,
13 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Plagues.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plagues. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
