pests

noun

plural of pest
1
as in plagues
a widespread disease resulting in a high rate of death one of the great pests of the 20th century was the influenza epidemic of 1918, which killed millions across the globe

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in nuisances
one who is obnoxiously annoying stop being a pest to your sister and go find something else to do

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in headaches
something that is a source of irritation a never-ending construction project that continues to be a pest for motorists

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 pests Pillows were kept — and since removed — from room 3506 where the pests were most-recently found. — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026 Bats are invaluable in agriculture, gorging on pests that target crops — corn earworms, brown stink bugs, cucumber beetles and more. — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026 Some populations of the insect use hawthorn fruits, rather than apples, to complete their life cycle and are not considered significant agricultural pests. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Sep. 2026 Attics are poor storage spaces due to temperature fluctuations, poor ventilation, and pests. — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Sep. 2026 Limited areas of bark damage can allow pests and diseases to invade trees, while damage that wraps around the tree may cause girdling and tree death. — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 28 Sep. 2026 Place it somewhere that is hard for pests to access, such as indoors off of the floor and away from walls. — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 27 Sep. 2026 Though the rate of killing has lessened today, with some states restricting the shooting of prairie dogs, they’re still widely considered pests among ranchers. — Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 21 Sep. 2026 Mosquito bites are to be expected in the warm summer months, but increasingly these pests are hanging around into autumn. — Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 21 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pests
  1. plagues
  2. nuisances
  3. headaches
  4. annoyances
  5. thorns
  6. irritants
  7. frustrations
  8. problems
Noun
  • Pneumonic plague is one of three types of plagues that are caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Most people go to campgrounds to escape the plagues of modern technology, so try to keep the decibels to a minimum.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of plagues
Noun
  • Take some time to seal gaps in window and door frames with weatherproof caulk to prevent fall stink bug problems, along with roaches, boxelder bugs, cluster flies, and other nuisances.
    — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Those feedings typically run afoul of associations’ governing documents and their rules and regulations due to the potential nuisances, unsanitary conditions, property damage, and liabilities that feral cats and other animals can create.
    — Michael L. Hyman, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of nuisances
Noun
  • Hotels increasingly use signature scents to shape their brands, but guests with asthma or chemical sensitivities say those fragrances can trigger headaches and other problems.
    — Christopher Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
  • After six days, 57% of study participants who had VYD2311 injected into the muscle of their upper arm reported headaches, chills, fatigue or pain at the injection site — the typical side effects associated with vaccinations.
    — Adam Feuerstein, STAT, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of headaches
Noun
  • The third season sees Ranma and fiancée Akane have to deal with old annoyances, new dangers, and even more shenanigans.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 2 Oct. 2026
  • People are exhausted by subscriptions, signing up for apps, logins, passwords, and other first-world annoyances that are now common in the search to watch a game on TV.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of annoyances
Noun
  • Besides a necklace of thorns, which draws small drops of blood, Kahlo appears to be more focused on the relief of healing.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Roses are considered non-toxic, though thorns can cause injuries and floral preservatives may still pose a risk.
    — Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of thorns
Noun
  • Their wavelike motion helps move around germs, mucus, dust, and other irritants so the body can dispel them via coughing or sneezing.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Use gloves to protect your hands from any potential irritants or chemicals, especially when mixing a cleaning solution.
    — Rabekah Henderson, Southern Living, 12 Sep. 2026
Definition of irritants
Noun
  • Comments by the Batavia City Council on Tuesday at a Committee of the Whole meeting continued to reflect the city’s frustrations.
    — Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Rubin acknowledged the union’s frustrations in a response to the no-confidence vote, but said there were no funds available to increase overtime.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of frustrations
Noun
  • Here are a few of the critical problems the mathematicians identified.
    — Lyndie Chiou, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2026
  • An election security expert, Ben Adida, told the board Thursday the state had already taken steps to reduce risks to the voting system and that a software update days ahead of a major election could cause bigger problems.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of problems

Browse Nearby Words

pestled
pests
pesty
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Cite this Entry

“Pests.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pests. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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