If you describe something as pernicious, you mean that it is very harmful.
[formal]
I did what I could, but her mother's influence was pernicious.
There is a pernicious culture of excellence: everything has to be not merely goodbut the best.
Synonyms: wicked, bad, damaging, dangerous More Synonyms of pernicious
pernicious in British English
(pəˈnɪʃəs)
adjective
1.
wicked or malicious
pernicious lies
2.
causing grave harm; deadly
Derived forms
perniciously (perˈniciously)
adverb
perniciousness (perˈniciousness)
noun
Word origin
C16: from Latin perniciōsus, from perniciēs ruin, from per- (intensive) + nex death
pernicious in American English
(pərˈnɪʃəs)
adjective
1.
causing great injury, destruction, or ruin; fatal; deadly
2. Rare
wicked; evil
SYNONYMY NOTE: pernicious applies to that which does great harm by insidiously undermining or weakening [pernicious anemia, a pernicious dogma]; baneful implies a harming by or as by poisoning [a baneful superstition]; noxious refers to anything that is injurious to physical or mental health [noxious fumes]; deleterious implies slower, less irreparable injury to the health [the deleterious effects of an unbalanced diet]; detrimental implies a causing of damage, loss, or disadvantage to something specified [his error was detrimental to our cause]
OPPOSITES: harmless, innocuous
Derived forms
perniciously (perˈniciously)
adverb
perniciousness (perˈniciousness)
noun
Word origin
Fr pernicieux < L perniciosus < pernicies, destruction < pernecare, to kill < per, thoroughly + necare, to kill: see necro-
Examples of 'pernicious' in a sentence
pernicious
There is one aspect of the bonus culture which is particularly pernicious.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
It is the most pernicious form of political correctness.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
But perhaps the most pernicious myth of all is that older signifies better.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The pernicious trend is to invite criticism.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
We hope its pernicious influence is finally at an end.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Successive governments have ducked the pernicious effects of housing benefit.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
His error was in not wanting to recognise the pernicious effects of debt.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
But it has had two pernicious effects.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Those who disagree are misled either by a warped view of history or a pernicious form of moral relativism.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
If caused by lack of intrinsic factor, condition called pernicious anaemia.
Mayes, Adrienne The Dictionary of Nutritional Health (1986)
This is a pernicious myth, no less wrong for being well meant.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The most widespread and pernicious influence on British culture is nostalgia.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The couple were the victims of a pernicious form of identity theft - but with a twist.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
He has called for regulations to protect the Chinese language from the pernicious influence of foreign imports.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The scale and complexity of the war exposed in Britain weak systems and the pernicious influence of patronage.
The Times Literary Supplement (2014)
And perhaps the pernicious influence of their new-found wealth reinvented and destabilised their bond with family and friends.
The Sun (2013)
This is a pernicious myth.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
B - deficiency anaemia is called pernicious anaemia.
Holford, Patrick The Family Nutrition Workbook (1988)
Off the campaign trail, the plait is to become summer's most pernicious beauty trend.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
She survived until 1934, dying from pernicious anaemia probably caused by radiation poisoning.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
A very pernicious urban myth, if that's in fact what it is.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
If you suffer from medical conditions such as pernicious anaemia, you may be able to get the jab from your GP.
The Sun (2013)
In other languages
pernicious
British English: pernicious ADJECTIVE
If you describe something as pernicious, you mean that it is very harmful.
I did what I could, but her mother's influence was pernicious.
American English: pernicious
Brazilian Portuguese: nocivo
Chinese: 极为有害的
European Spanish: nocivo
French: pernicieux
German: schädlich
Italian: nocivo
Japanese: 有害な
Korean: 치명적인
European Portuguese: nocivo
Latin American Spanish: pernicioso
(adjective)
Definition
causing grave harm
(formal)
the pernicious effects of alcoholism
Synonyms
wicked
The wind gets so wicked you want to stay indoors while the sea rages.
bad
Eating too much of any food can be bad for you.
damaging
Is the recycling process damaging to the environment?
dangerous
evil
Few people would not condemn slavery as evil.
offensive
fatal
She had suffered a fatal heart attack.
deadly
a deadly disease currently affecting dolphins
destructive
the awesome destructive power of nuclear weapons
harmful
the harmful effects of smoking
toxic
This policy has proved extremely disadvantageous for us.
poisonous
poisonous attacks on the Church
malicious
She described the charges as malicious.
malign
the malign influence jealousy had on their lives
malignant
a malignant minority indulging in crime and violence
detrimental
These foods are considered detrimental to health.
hurtful
Her comments were very hurtful to Mrs Green's family.
malevolent
Her stare was malevolent, her mouth a thin line.
noxious
carbon monoxide and other noxious gases
venomous
The adder is Britain's only venomous snake.
ruinous
the ruinous effects of the conflict
baleful
He had a baleful look.
deleterious (formal)
Fear of crime is having a deleterious effect on society.
injurious
Stress in itself is not necessarily injurious.
noisome
His noisome reputation for corruption had already begun to spread.
baneful (archaic)
pestilent
maleficent
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bad
Definition
harmful
Eating too much of any food can be bad for you.
Synonyms
harmful,
damaging,
dangerous,
disastrous,
destructive,
unhealthy,
detrimental,
hurtful,
ruinous,
deleterious (formal),
injurious,
disadvantageous
in the sense of baleful
Definition
harmful, menacing, or vindictive
He had a baleful look.
Synonyms
menacing,
threatening,
dangerous,
frightening,
evil,
deadly,
forbidding,
intimidating,
harmful,
sinister,
ominous,
malignant,
hurtful,
vindictive,
pernicious (formal),
malevolent,
noxious,
venomous,
ruinous,
intimidatory,
minatory,
maleficent,
bodeful,
louring or lowering,
minacious
in the sense of baneful
Synonyms
harmful,
fatal,
deadly,
disastrous,
destructive,
hurtful,
pernicious (formal),
noxious,
venomous,
ruinous,
calamitous,
baleful,
deleterious (formal),
injurious,
pestilential,
maleficent
Nearby words of
pernicious
permissive
permit
permutation
pernicious
pernickety
peroration
perpendicular
Synonyms of 'pernicious'
pernicious
Explore 'pernicious' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of damaging
Is the recycling process damaging to the environment?
Synonyms
harmful,
detrimental,
hurtful,
ruinous,
toxic,
prejudicial,
deleterious (formal),
injurious,
disadvantageous
in the sense of deadly
Definition
likely to cause death
a deadly disease currently affecting dolphins
Synonyms
lethal,
fatal,
deathly,
dangerous,
devastating,
destructive,
mortal,
murderous,
poisonous,
toxic,
malignant,
virulent,
pernicious (formal),
noxious,
venomous,
baleful,
death-dealing,
baneful
in the sense of deleterious
Definition
harmful or injurious
Fear of crime is having a deleterious effect on society.
Synonyms
harmful,
bad,
damaging,
destructive,
detrimental,
hurtful,
pernicious (formal),
ruinous,
prejudicial,
injurious
in the sense of destructive
Definition
causing or capable of causing harm, damage, or injury
the awesome destructive power of nuclear weapons
Synonyms
devastating,
fatal,
deadly,
lethal,
harmful,
damaging,
catastrophic,
detrimental,
hurtful,
pernicious (formal),
noxious,
ruinous,
calamitous,
cataclysmic,
baleful,
deleterious (formal),
injurious,
baneful,
maleficent
in the sense of detrimental
These foods are considered detrimental to health.
Synonyms
damaging,
destructive,
harmful,
adverse,
pernicious (formal),
unfavourable,
prejudicial,
baleful,
deleterious (formal),
injurious,
inimical,
disadvantageous
in the sense of evil
Definition
(of an act, idea, etc.) causing great harm and misery
Few people would not condemn slavery as evil.
Synonyms
harmful,
painful,
disastrous,
destructive,
dire,
catastrophic,
mischievous,
detrimental,
hurtful,
woeful,
pernicious (formal),
ruinous,
sorrowful,
deleterious (formal),
injurious,
baneful (archaic)
in the sense of fatal
Definition
resulting in death
She had suffered a fatal heart attack.
Synonyms
lethal,
deadly,
mortal,
causing death,
final,
killing,
terminal,
destructive,
malignant,
incurable,
pernicious (formal)
in the sense of harmful
Definition
causing or tending to cause harm, esp. to a person's health
the harmful effects of smoking
Synonyms
damaging,
dangerous,
negative,
evil,
destructive,
hazardous,
unhealthy,
detrimental,
hurtful,
toxic,
pernicious (formal),
noxious,
baleful,
deleterious (formal),
injurious,
unwholesome,
disadvantageous,
baneful,
maleficent,
toxic
in the sense of hurtful
Her comments were very hurtful to Mrs Green's family.
Synonyms
unkind,
upsetting,
distressing,
mean,
cutting,
damaging,
wounding,
nasty,
cruel,
destructive,
harmful,
malicious,
mischievous,
detrimental,
pernicious (formal),
spiteful,
prejudicial,
injurious,
disadvantageous,
maleficent
in the sense of injurious
Definition
causing harm
Stress in itself is not necessarily injurious.
Synonyms
harmful,
bad,
damaging,
corrupting,
destructive,
adverse,
unhealthy,
detrimental,
hurtful,
toxic,
pernicious (formal),
noxious,
ruinous,
deleterious (formal),
iniquitous,
disadvantageous,
baneful (archaic),
maleficent,
unconducive
Additional synonyms
in the sense of malevolent
Definition
wishing evil to others
Her stare was malevolent, her mouth a thin line.
Synonyms
spiteful,
hostile,
vicious,
malicious,
malign,
malignant,
vindictive,
pernicious (formal),
vengeful,
hateful,
baleful,
rancorous,
evil-minded,
maleficent,
ill-natured
in the sense of malicious
She described the charges as malicious.
Synonyms
spiteful,
malevolent,
malignant,
vicious,
bitter,
resentful,
pernicious (formal),
vengeful,
bitchy (informal),
hateful,
baleful,
injurious,
rancorous,
catty (informal),
shrewish,
ill-disposed,
evil-minded,
ill-natured
in the sense of malign
Definition
evil in influence or effect
the malign influence jealousy had on their lives
Synonyms
evil,
bad,
destructive,
harmful,
hostile,
vicious,
malignant,
wicked,
hurtful,
pernicious (formal),
malevolent,
baleful,
deleterious (formal),
injurious,
baneful,
maleficent
in the sense of malignant
Definition
tending to cause great harm
a malignant minority indulging in crime and violence
Synonyms
hostile,
harmful,
bitter,
vicious,
destructive,
malicious,
malign,
hurtful,
pernicious (formal),
malevolent,
spiteful,
baleful,
injurious,
inimical,
maleficent,
of evil intent
in the sense of noisome
His noisome reputation for corruption had already begun to spread.
Synonyms
poisonous,
bad,
harmful,
unhealthy,
mischievous,
hurtful,
pernicious (formal),
deleterious (formal),
injurious,
unwholesome,
pestilential,
baneful (archaic),
pestiferous
in the sense of noxious
Definition
poisonous or harmful
carbon monoxide and other noxious gases
Synonyms
harmful,
deadly,
poisonous,
toxic,
unhealthy,
hurtful,
pernicious (formal),
injurious,
unwholesome,
noisome,
pestilential,
insalubrious,
foul,
baneful (archaic),
detrimental
in the sense of poisonous
Definition
malicious
poisonous attacks on the Church
Synonyms
evil,
vicious,
malicious,
corrupting,
pernicious (formal),
baleful,
baneful (archaic),
pestiferous
in the sense of ruinous
Definition
causing ruin or destruction
the ruinous effects of the conflict
Synonyms
destructive,
devastating,
shattering,
fatal,
deadly,
disastrous,
dire,
withering,
catastrophic,
murderous,
pernicious (formal),
noxious,
calamitous,
baleful,
deleterious (formal),
injurious,
baneful (archaic)
in the sense of toxic
This policy has proved extremely disadvantageous for us.