1
: an epidemic disease associated with high mortality
specifically
: plague
2
: something resembling a pest in destructiveness
especially
: a plant or animal detrimental to humans or human concerns (such as agriculture or livestock production)
Examples of pest in a Sentence
These insects are pests for farmers.
mice and other household pests
You're being a real pest. Would you leave us alone, please?
Recent Examples on the Web
Call a professional snake removal service, pest control company or your local animal control agency.
—
Shelby Slade, The Arizona Republic, 26 Apr. 2024
Fipronil is available over the counter in low doses, but high concentrations are dispensed through a licensed pest control company.
—Brianna Taylor, Sacramento Bee, 24 Apr. 2024
He was also seen climbing into the bed of someone's pickup truck and going through their belongings, as well as removing a sign placed at a home by pest control warning them to keep pets and children off the lawn.
—Mirna Alsharif, NBC News, 23 Apr. 2024
Oregano’s strong fragrance will help deter pests that could harm okra as well as attract pollinators to the garden to increase production.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2024
The Milwaukee Health Department received a complaint of pests at the grocery store located at 2335 N. 35th St. on Friday.
—Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2024
Feeding on beetles, mosquitoes and moths, a single bat can eat half its body weight in insects each night, benefitting Hoosiers out for an evening stroll as well as farmers plagued with pests.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 16 Apr. 2024
The southern live oak, which has a trunk as thick as 8 feet, is part of a rare cohort of trees which have survived centuries of extreme weather, pests, diseases, human interactions and other life threatening phenomena.
—Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2024
Higher concentrated mixtures can be diluted for future use or used full strength for pest control.
—Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 11 Apr. 2024
Shelby Slade, The Arizona Republic, 26 Apr. 2024
Fipronil is available over the counter in low doses, but high concentrations are dispensed through a licensed pest control company.
—Brianna Taylor, Sacramento Bee, 24 Apr. 2024
He was also seen climbing into the bed of someone's pickup truck and going through their belongings, as well as removing a sign placed at a home by pest control warning them to keep pets and children off the lawn.
—Mirna Alsharif, NBC News, 23 Apr. 2024
Oregano’s strong fragrance will help deter pests that could harm okra as well as attract pollinators to the garden to increase production.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2024
The Milwaukee Health Department received a complaint of pests at the grocery store located at 2335 N. 35th St. on Friday.
—Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2024
Feeding on beetles, mosquitoes and moths, a single bat can eat half its body weight in insects each night, benefitting Hoosiers out for an evening stroll as well as farmers plagued with pests.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 16 Apr. 2024
The southern live oak, which has a trunk as thick as 8 feet, is part of a rare cohort of trees which have survived centuries of extreme weather, pests, diseases, human interactions and other life threatening phenomena.
—Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2024
Higher concentrated mixtures can be diluted for future use or used full strength for pest control.
—Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 11 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pest.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near pest
Cite this Entry
“Pest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pest. Accessed 1 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pest
noun1
: an epidemic disease which causes a large number of deaths
especially
: plague entry 1 sense 2
2
: something resembling a pest in destructiveness
especially
: a plant or animal harmful to human beings or human concerns (as agriculture)
3
: one that pesters or annoys : nuisance
Medical Definition
pest
noun1
: an epidemic disease associated with high mortality
specifically
: plague sense 2
2
: something resembling a pest in destructiveness
especially
: a plant or animal detrimental to humans or human concerns
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