plague 1 of 2

verb

Definition of plaguenext
as in to afflict
to cause persistent suffering to plagued by a cough for all of last week

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

plague

2 of 2

noun

ˈplāg How to pronounce plague (audio)
as in epidemic
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

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb plague contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of plague are annoy, harass, harry, pester, tease, and worry. While all these words mean "to disturb or irritate by persistent acts," plague implies a painful and persistent affliction.

plagued all her life by poverty

In what contexts can annoy take the place of plague?

While in some cases nearly identical to plague, annoy implies disturbing one's composure or peace of mind by intrusion, interference, or petty attacks.

you're doing that just to annoy me

When would harass be a good substitute for plague?

The words harass and plague can be used in similar contexts, but harass implies petty persecutions or burdensome demands that exhaust one's nervous or mental power.

harassed on all sides by creditors

When is it sensible to use harry instead of plague?

Although the words harry and plague have much in common, harry may imply heavy oppression or maltreatment.

the strikers had been harried by thugs

When might pester be a better fit than plague?

In some situations, the words pester and plague are roughly equivalent. However, pester stresses the repetition of petty attacks.

constantly pestered with trivial complaints

When can tease be used instead of plague?

The words tease and plague are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, tease suggests an attempt to break down one's resistance or rouse to wrath.

children teased the dog

When is worry a more appropriate choice than plague?

While the synonyms worry and plague are close in meaning, worry implies an incessant goading or attacking that drives one to desperation.

pursued a policy of worrying the enemy

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 plague
Verb
Autos: Autos are plagued by tariff instability and the ongoing trade war, Cramer said. —Julie Coleman, CNBC, 25 June 2025 High turnover, low wages, and irregular hours have long plagued the industry. —Glenn Llopis, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
Noun
According to the New York Times and the National Insurance Crime Bureau, metal theft has been an urban plague for decades, but it’s been on the rise since the COVID-19 pandemic due to a number of factors, including a soaring demand for metals. —Martha Ross, Mercury News, 27 May 2025 This is epic fantasy set in a big world with a mysterious past (as well as a ravenous fungal ghost plague!). —Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 13 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for plague
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plague
  1. afflict
  2. epidemic
  3. persecute
  4. pestilence
  5. torture
  6. illness
  7. besiege
  8. pest
Verb
  • To put it into perspective, the National Organization for Rare Disorders estimates that one person on every elevator and four people on every bus are afflicted.
    — Alexis Kayser, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 June 2025
  • The perils afflicting these marooned vacationers turned the Triumph into a social media fascination — #CruiseShipFromHell was a trending topic at the time — and inspired parodies on Saturday Night Live and The Daily Show.
    — Randall Colburn, EW.com, 25 June 2025
Definition of afflict
Noun
  • They were born out of a pitiless epidemic, as a poignant yet futile attempt to allow his subjects to live forever on film.
    — Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 28 June 2025
  • Pure Heroine and Melodrama left indelible marks on mainstream music; Lorde is instrumental to the 21st-century whisper-singer epidemic.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 27 June 2025
Definition of epidemic
Verb
  • There may be no animal that has been more revered and reviled, romanticized and persecuted, adopted and murdered than the coyote.
    — Helen Whybrow July 7, Literary Hub, 7 July 2025
  • Asylum seekers must prove their government is persecuting them or that they're being persecuted by someone who the government is unable or unwilling to stop.
    — Victoria Moorwood, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Definition of persecute
Noun
  • While pestilence crept over the walls of cities and the countryside fell into desolation—many foreign conquerors of Europe knew how to fight and plunder but not to plow or sow—the monks preserved words.
    — Bernd Roeck June 16, Literary Hub, 16 June 2025
  • In recent years, the censorship and false narratives of woke cancel culture have transformed our great universities into greenhouses for this deadly and virulent pestilence.
    — Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2025
Definition of pestilence
Verb
  • Nicolás Maduro and his enforcers are running a criminal narco-terrorist dictatorship that jails political opponents, tortures dissidents, and crushes any hope of free expression.
    — Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 27 June 2025
  • An immigration judge determined that he would likely be persecuted or tortured if deported to Guatemala again, and granted him an order protecting him from removal.
    — Solcyré Burga, Time, 25 June 2025
Definition of torture
Noun
  • The British royal family has been facing its fair share of drama lately, with King Charles’ illness taking center stage.
    — Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 9 July 2025
  • There have been no injuries or illnesses reported to Mondelēz Global to date.
    — Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 9 July 2025
Definition of illness
Verb
  • By 1972, Argentina was besieged by unprecedented political violence.
    — Daniel Alarcón, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
  • Gas stations are besieged, and shops are emptying of essentials.
    — Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor, 16 June 2025
Definition of besiege
Noun
  • According to Orkin, the pest control company, scorpions come indoors in search of food.
    — Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 6 July 2025
  • Using a mosquito 'bucket of doom' is much cheaper than getting a pest control service to come fog or spray your yard.
    — Elliott Harrell, Southern Living, 4 July 2025
Definition of pest

Browse Nearby Words

plagiarizing
plague
plagued
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Plague.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://x0upouf933.proxynodejs.usequeue.com/thesaurus/plague. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on plague

Nglish: Translation of plague for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about plague

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