plague

1 of 2

noun

ˈplāg

Synonyms of plague next

: a disastrous evil or affliction : calamity

: a destructively numerous influx or multiplication of a noxious animal : infestation

a plague of locusts

: an epidemic disease causing a high rate of mortality : pestilence

: a virulent contagious febrile disease that is caused by a bacterium (Yersinia pestis) and that occurs in bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic forms

called also black death

: a cause of irritation : nuisance

: a sudden unwelcome outbreak

a plague of burglaries

plague

2 of 2

verb

plagued; plaguing

transitive verb

: to smite, infest, or afflict with or as if with disease, calamity, or natural evil

: to cause worry or distress to : hamper, burden

: to disturb or annoy persistently

plaguer noun

Choose the Right Synonym for plague

worry, annoy, harass, harry, plague, pester, tease mean to disturb or irritate by persistent acts.

worry implies an incessant goading or attacking that drives one to desperation.

pursued a policy of worrying the enemy

annoy implies disturbing one's composure or peace of mind by intrusion, interference, or petty attacks.

you're doing that just to annoy me

harass implies petty persecutions or burdensome demands that exhaust one's nervous or mental power.

harassed on all sides by creditors

harry may imply heavy oppression or maltreatment.

the strikers had been harried by thugs

plague implies a painful and persistent affliction.

plagued all her life by poverty

pester stresses the repetition of petty attacks.

constantly pestered with trivial complaints

tease suggests an attempt to break down one's resistance or rouse to wrath.

children teased the dog

Example Sentences

Noun The country was hit by a plague of natural disasters that year. There has been a plague of bank robberies in the area. a plague that swept through the tribe in the 1600s Verb Computer viruses plague Internet users. Crime plagues the inner city. Drought and wildfires continue to plague the area. See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

During the show, which is part sci-fi, part fantasy, part mystery, the pair’s journey begins to shed light on the cause of the plague, and what happened to humanity. —

Wired, WIRED, 10 Feb. 2023 The catastrophic results that plague unprepared sellers are avoidable. —

Rich Gunn, Forbes, 1 June 2022 Where a devastating plague isn’t sickening and killing millions of people. —

Andy Meek, BGR, 30 July 2021 Maybe plague is a better description, given the extraordinary amount of damage that’s been done. —

David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Dec. 2022 But for the uninitiated viewer, the series also explores the early twentieth century when pandemics, historic drought, the end of Prohibition and the Great Depression all plague the mountain west, where the Duttons call home. —

Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Dec. 2022 The series will explore the early 20th century when pandemics, historic drought, Prohibition and the Great Depression all plague the Mountain West — which the Duttons call home. —

Ej Panaligan, Variety, 27 Oct. 2022 Curiously, though, the plague is not the most interesting element of Pamuk’s novel. —

James Wood, The New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2022 Best to buy disease-resistant varieties to avoid the pest and disease problems that plague fruit trees. —

oregonlive, 30 Jan. 2023

Verb

Those numbers don’t include the other felonies such as carjacking and theft that now plague the city’s streets. —

The Editorial Board, WSJ, 1 Mar. 2023 The various ailments that plague the members of the family disappear—Eva’s intractable eczema, her husband’s dyspepsia, their older son’s nausea and vomiting spells. —

Perri Klass, The New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2023 The lead author said similar issues plague the use of this process to create fuels from plastics. —

Sharon Lerner, ProPublica, 23 Feb. 2023 Please reduce the feelings of fear and anxiety that plague me. —

Elizabeth Berry, Woman's Day, 12 Oct. 2022 Rust is beginning to plague the underside of the car, but it's lived a life in the Northeast. —

Jack Fitzgerald, Car and Driver, 12 Aug. 2022 Health disparities often plague Black, Hispanic and indigenous communities, thanks to inequities in healthcare access, quality insurance, access to healthy foods and other factors, a report in Everyday Health found. —

Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 22 July 2022 The Forest Service used more than 50 million gallons (190 million liters) of retardant for the first time in 2020 as increasingly destructive wildfires plague the West. —

Keith Ridler, ajc, 2 July 2022 Penned by Thomas Moldestad, the movie revolves around a team-building conference attended by municipal employees which spirals into a nightmare when accusations of corruption begin to circulate and plague the work environment. —

Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 31 Jan. 2023 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'plague.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English plage, from Late Latin plaga, from Latin, blow; akin to Latin plangere to strike — more at plaint

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of plague was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Plague.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plague. Accessed 24 Mar. 2023.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

plague

1 of 2 noun

ˈplāg

: a disastrous evil

: a large number of destructive pests

a plague of locusts

: an epidemic disease causing a high rate of death : pestilence

especially : a serious disease that is caused by a bacterium, occurs or has occurred in several forms including bubonic plague, and is usually passed to human beings from infected rodents and especially rats by the bite of a flea or is passed directly from person to person

: a cause or occasion of annoyance : nuisance

plague

2 of 2 verb

plagued; plaguing

: to strike or afflict with or as if with disease or evil

: to cause worry or distress to

plagued by a sense of guilt

Medical Definition

plague

noun

ˈplāg

: an epidemic disease causing a high rate of mortality : pestilence

a plague of cholera

: a virulent contagious febrile disease that is caused by a bacterium of the genus Yersinia (Y. pestis synonym Pasteurella pestis), that occurs in bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic forms, and that is usually transmitted from rats to humans by the bite of infected fleas (as in bubonic plague) or directly from person to person (as in pneumonic plague)

called also black death