pest
noun
\ ˈpest
\
\
Definition of pest
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Other Words from pest
pesty
\ ˈpe-stē
\
adjective
\
adjective
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?
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Recent Examples on the Web
At least one pest extermination service also says they’ve been called in for mice in numerous private homes in Mat-Su and Anchorage. — Zaz Hollander, Anchorage Daily News, "Wasilla store contends with ‘large-scale’ rodent problem," 18 Aug. 2019 These sometimes pests are native to Mexico but now prevalent in the southern states. — Tom Maccubbin, orlandosentinel.com, "Good care leads to bountiful banana harvest," 17 Aug. 2019 But with more than 450 tree-feeding pests introduced to its forests through international travel and commerce, the U.S. is especially vulnerable. — NBC News, "Survey of U.S. forests ties tree-killing insects to climate change," 15 Aug. 2019 Up to 25 percent of what’s sown succumbs, mostly from weather extremes or pests. — Eric Velasco, al, "Follow the journey of local food from seed to plate," 13 Aug. 2019 There is a price for its voluptuary nature: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is demanding of water and food, pest-prone, and difficult to overwinter indoors. — Adrian Higgins, Washington Post, "The sultry plant that will break your heart," 13 Aug. 2019 The cool weather conditions in hills act as a barrier for pests infestation but the hot and humid conditions lead to their intrusion. — Gurvinder Singh, Quartz India, "Science is rekindling the aroma that Darjeeling tea lost to climate change," 9 Aug. 2019 But they have been hit by cars, clipped by bulky delivery trucks, strangled by drought, devoured by pests and poisoned by toxic waste from canines and others. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Column: Whodunit? Case of the missing downtown San Diego trees," 9 Aug. 2019 The biotech world will need to provide more drought-resistant crop varieties for dry regions at risk of losing their farmland to desertification, for example, or insect-resistant varieties to combat changes in the geographic ranges of pest species. — Scott K. Johnson, Ars Technica, "New IPCC report shows land use is part of solution to climate change," 8 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pest.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for pest
pest
noun
English Language Learners Definition of pest
: an animal or insect that causes problems for people especially by damaging crops
informal
: a person who bothers or annoys other people
See the full definition for pest in the English Language Learners Dictionary
pest
noun
\ ˈpest
\
\
Kids Definition of pest
1
: nuisance
… Kirsti was such a pest, always butting in.— Lois Lowry, Number the Stars
2
: a plant or animal that is harmful to humans or property
3
: pestilence
pest
noun
\ ˈpest
\
\
Medical Definition of pest
2
: something resembling a pest in destructiveness
especially
: a plant or animal detrimental to humans or human concerns
Other Words from pest
pesty
\ ˈpes-tē
\
adjective
\
adjective
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