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
Heidi Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
This temporary fix does nothing to resolve the chronic underfunding and instability that plagues these programs year after year.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 6 Aug. 2025
And the majority of gun violence that still plagues our communities is committed with firearms trafficked from out of state — often from places with virtually no safeguards.
—Rebecca Fischer, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2025
Verb
Everything that plagues Chicago also plagues America.
—Heidi Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
This temporary fix does nothing to resolve the chronic underfunding and instability that plagues these programs year after year.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 6 Aug. 2025
And the majority of gun violence that still plagues our communities is committed with firearms trafficked from out of state — often from places with virtually no safeguards.
—Rebecca Fischer, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plagues
Verb
-
Measles is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable disease caused by a virus that primarily, and most severely, afflicts children.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
19 Aug. 2025
-
Although there have been recent breakthroughs in the treatment of Alzheimer’s, no medication has succeeded in stopping or reversing the disease that afflicts more than 7 million Americans, a number projected to reach almost 13 million by 2050, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
These rules, enforced by the state Department of Health, are designed to prevent outbreaks of contagious illnesses that once posed widespread threats.—
Peter Aitken,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Public records and lawsuits show that many in-custody deaths involved serious health care lapses — medication being withheld, delayed care and failure to monitor people with serious illnesses.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
This provides extra protection against mosquitoes, flies, and other pests without the need to coat yourself in bug spray from head to toe.—
Anne Taylor,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Remove wood piles and clutter, seal cracks and leaks, and keep your floors, counters, and appliances clean to prevent pests from entering.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Plagues.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plagues. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share