as in afflicts
to cause persistent suffering to
plagued by a cough for all of last week
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of plagues
Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
The reclined riding position spreads body weight evenly, eliminating the back, neck, and wrist strain that plagues conventional cycling.
—Omar Kardoudi
april 20, New Atlas, 20 Apr. 2026
Counterintuitively, Zander and Petersson believe that prioritizing professional relationships has allowed the band to avoid the destructive infighting that often plagues bands made up of best friends.
—Marc Ballon, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
The distance between the moon and observers on Earth means that the overspilling of light that plagues telescopes on Earth is negligible.
—Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 15 Apr. 2026
Still, a key downside risk for all three companies is the uncertainty that plagues the future of energy markets, according to Goldman.
—Davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 24 Mar. 2026
Shifting to the execution phase By securing graphite early, the company aims to mitigate supply chain volatility that often plagues advanced nuclear projects.
—Munis Raza, Interesting Engineering, 10 Mar. 2026
Greenblatt suggested that a major misconception of antisemitism that plagues universities is the idea that anti-Zionism is a political stance, rather than one of prejudice.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 10 Mar. 2026
While a fuel crisis plagues the people of Lagos, Nigeria, a young cab driver dreams of a better life.
—Jourdain Searles, HollywoodReporter, 2 Mar. 2026
Don Sweeney
april 8, Sacbee.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Most references to the Arbat in the ancient chronicles are connected to fires, amid mention of invasions and plagues and noble births.
—Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
When Pharaoh refused, God sent the 10 plagues to Egypt as punishment, destroying crops and livestock and afflicting the people, according to the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.
—Lucia Cheng, Des Moines Register, 1 Apr. 2026
Scholars have debated the reason for the discrepancy; some scholars note that the Psalms are poetic and have their own internal logic, and others contend that the textual tradition’s list of plagues was initially fluid.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026
Upon Pharaoh ignoring the command to free the Israelites, 10 plagues were unleashed by God on Egypt and its people.
—Jose R. Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 28 Mar. 2026
The team treats patients against a backdrop of all-too-common American societal plagues, from substance use disorder to medical bankruptcies and mass shootings.
—Jeffrey Tully, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
Anthrax in early Egypt may have been one of the plagues described in the Bible.
—Hannah Kinzer, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2026
So does societal action against plagues.
—David Blumenthal, STAT, 24 Mar. 2026
Verb
And as a fight over the reauthorization of a key national security surveillance law plagues the lower chamber, moving forward with the DHS funding hasn't appeared to be a top priority.
—Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
The reclined riding position spreads body weight evenly, eliminating the back, neck, and wrist strain that plagues conventional cycling.
—Omar Kardoudi
april 20, New Atlas, 20 Apr. 2026
Counterintuitively, Zander and Petersson believe that prioritizing professional relationships has allowed the band to avoid the destructive infighting that often plagues bands made up of best friends.
—Marc Ballon, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
The distance between the moon and observers on Earth means that the overspilling of light that plagues telescopes on Earth is negligible.
—Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 15 Apr. 2026
Still, a key downside risk for all three companies is the uncertainty that plagues the future of energy markets, according to Goldman.
—Davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 24 Mar. 2026
Shifting to the execution phase By securing graphite early, the company aims to mitigate supply chain volatility that often plagues advanced nuclear projects.
—Munis Raza, Interesting Engineering, 10 Mar. 2026
Greenblatt suggested that a major misconception of antisemitism that plagues universities is the idea that anti-Zionism is a political stance, rather than one of prejudice.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 10 Mar. 2026
While a fuel crisis plagues the people of Lagos, Nigeria, a young cab driver dreams of a better life.
—Jourdain Searles, HollywoodReporter, 2 Mar. 2026
Noun
Another kind of typhus, carried by lice and caused by the bacteria Rickettsia prowazekii, produced historic plagues that devastated populations during times of war, famine and poverty, the National Institutes for Health said.
—Don Sweeney
april 8, Sacbee.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Most references to the Arbat in the ancient chronicles are connected to fires, amid mention of invasions and plagues and noble births.
—Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
When Pharaoh refused, God sent the 10 plagues to Egypt as punishment, destroying crops and livestock and afflicting the people, according to the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.
—Lucia Cheng, Des Moines Register, 1 Apr. 2026
Scholars have debated the reason for the discrepancy; some scholars note that the Psalms are poetic and have their own internal logic, and others contend that the textual tradition’s list of plagues was initially fluid.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026
Upon Pharaoh ignoring the command to free the Israelites, 10 plagues were unleashed by God on Egypt and its people.
—Jose R. Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 28 Mar. 2026
The team treats patients against a backdrop of all-too-common American societal plagues, from substance use disorder to medical bankruptcies and mass shootings.
—Jeffrey Tully, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
Anthrax in early Egypt may have been one of the plagues described in the Bible.
—Hannah Kinzer, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2026
So does societal action against plagues.
—David Blumenthal, STAT, 24 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plagues
Verb
-
Consider osteoarthritis, which afflicts roughly 33 million Americans by gradually wearing down cartilage in the joints.—
Bryan T. Kelly,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Regeneron also gained Food and Drug Administration approval on April 23 for its gene therapy, Otarmeni, which will be prescribed to treat a rare type of hearing loss that afflicts about 50 newborns in the United States each year.—
Ken Alltucker,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
China, which jails human rights activists in Hong Kong, persecutes Uyghurs, has killed hundreds of thousands of Tibetans and has committed genocide against the Falun Gong, is on the UN Human Rights Council.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
In Russia, the civilian repressive apparatus persecutes the military, which leaps at every chance for revenge.—
Stephen Kotkin,
Foreign Affairs,
16 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Miyahara is the president and CEO of the San Diego Community Housing Corporation, and Morales-Roth is executive director of the Emilio Nares Foundation, a nonprofit that supports children facing cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Crawling the walls Orson Welles learned to draw from his mother, who informally homeschooled the budding artist during his childhood, which was marked by grave illnesses including malaria and diphtheria.—
Michelle Duncan,
Architectural Digest,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The retrospection tortures her.—
Alexandra Rockey Fleming,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Later, in one of the movie's most satisfying scenes, Millie locks Andrew in the attic and tortures him by loudly smashing each plate.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The Northern Illinois Raptor Rehab and Education in Loves Park set up a display table featuring specimens and educational information about how birds control pests such as rodents and insects.—
Karie Angell Luc,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Major citations were issued in 33 instances in which rodents or other pests were detected where food was stored, prepared or served.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Unclear if Instagram curses are transferrable.—
Clio Chang,
Curbed,
18 Dec. 2025
-
The driver curses at those outside and inside the car.—
Jason Kravarik,
CNN Money,
13 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Plagues.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plagues. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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