plague
1 of 2noun
ˈplāg 
1
a
: a disastrous evil or affliction : calamity
b
: a destructively numerous influx or multiplication of a noxious animal : infestation
a plague of locusts
2
a
: an epidemic disease causing a high rate of mortality : pestilence
b
: a virulent contagious febrile disease that is caused by a bacterium (Yersinia pestis) and that occurs in bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic forms
called also black death
3
a
: a cause of irritation : nuisance
b
: a sudden unwelcome outbreak
a plague of burglaries
plague
2 of 2verb
plagued; plaguing
transitive verb
1
: to smite, infest, or afflict with or as if with disease, calamity, or natural evil
2
a
: to cause worry or distress to : hamper, burden
b
: to disturb or annoy persistently
plaguer noun
Synonyms
Noun
- pest
- pestilence
Verb
- afflict
- agonize
- anguish
- bedevil
- beset
- besiege
- curse
- excruciate
- harrow
- persecute
- rack
- torment
- torture
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun The country was hit by a plague of natural disasters that year. There has been a plague of bank robberies in the area. a plague that swept through the tribe in the 1600s Verb Computer viruses plague Internet users. Crime plagues the inner city. Drought and wildfires continue to plague the area. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2022 The 1918 flu pandemic was the worst plague since the Black Death, which occured in the mid-14th century. Steven Salzberg, Forbes, 15 Aug. 2022 This is not a plague of locusts with their pharaoh pharaoh call. Erika Meitner, The New Republic, 17 Mar. 2022 Misinformation is a plague on the internet, but in some cases social media can be the quickest way to disseminate stories from the ground. Angela Watercutter, Wired, 25 Feb. 2022 The story that might have fully broken my brain for good is the recent plague of conservatives poisoning themselves with veterinary deworming paste. Ryan Cooper, The Week, 27 Aug. 2021 Rape has been a plague in Baltimore for what can feel like forever. Isabel Seliger, ProPublica, 24 May 2021 This is not a Republican-versus-Democrat kind of thing; practical atheism is a plague. Kathryn Jean Lopez, National Review, 10 May 2021 Emotional support animals are ‘a plague’ on rental property owners and managers, landlord attorney says. The Salt Lake Tribune, 25 Mar. 2021 Lawrence Andrea, Journal Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2022 With the seven-day average of COVID-19 cases still hovering around 150,000 per day, even the most libertarian among us, while bristling about the overreach of the mandate, feel frustrated that the virus continues to plague the country. Kevin A. Hassett, National Review, 14 Sep. 2021 In the decades since, kudzu has become a generative symbol to writers and artists for the inequalities that still plague the country at large. New York Times, 3 May 2021 The massive security presence tells of the ongoing flashes of violence and political instability that still plague Iraq almost two decades after the U.S.-led invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein. Washington Post, 5 Mar. 2021 Yet social media giants are pushing forward with a familiar playbook to police misinformation this electoral cycle, even as false claims that the last presidential election was fraudulent continue to plague their platforms. Naomi Nix, Washington Post, 20 Aug. 2022 Armie Hammer’s recent headline-grabbing controversy is not the only one to plague the notable family. Ellise Shafer, Variety, 10 Aug. 2022 Yet, pervasive stereotypes still seem to plague the group. Jasmine Browley, Essence, 4 Aug. 2022 Levin also predicted that the use of dark money, or money given to groups that are not required to disclose their donors, would plague the Democratic party moving forward. Alexandra Marquez, NBC News, 3 Aug. 2022 See More
Noun
And more of the insects would be unwelcome news for farmers who consider grasshoppers to be a plague and fight them with insecticides. Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2022 The 1918 flu pandemic was the worst plague since the Black Death, which occured in the mid-14th century. Steven Salzberg, Forbes, 15 Aug. 2022 This is not a plague of locusts with their pharaoh pharaoh call. Erika Meitner, The New Republic, 17 Mar. 2022 Misinformation is a plague on the internet, but in some cases social media can be the quickest way to disseminate stories from the ground. Angela Watercutter, Wired, 25 Feb. 2022 The story that might have fully broken my brain for good is the recent plague of conservatives poisoning themselves with veterinary deworming paste. Ryan Cooper, The Week, 27 Aug. 2021 Rape has been a plague in Baltimore for what can feel like forever. Isabel Seliger, ProPublica, 24 May 2021 This is not a Republican-versus-Democrat kind of thing; practical atheism is a plague. Kathryn Jean Lopez, National Review, 10 May 2021 Emotional support animals are ‘a plague’ on rental property owners and managers, landlord attorney says. The Salt Lake Tribune, 25 Mar. 2021 Verb
Mass shootings have continued to plague the country. Lawrence Andrea, Journal Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2022 With the seven-day average of COVID-19 cases still hovering around 150,000 per day, even the most libertarian among us, while bristling about the overreach of the mandate, feel frustrated that the virus continues to plague the country. Kevin A. Hassett, National Review, 14 Sep. 2021 In the decades since, kudzu has become a generative symbol to writers and artists for the inequalities that still plague the country at large. New York Times, 3 May 2021 The massive security presence tells of the ongoing flashes of violence and political instability that still plague Iraq almost two decades after the U.S.-led invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein. Washington Post, 5 Mar. 2021 Yet social media giants are pushing forward with a familiar playbook to police misinformation this electoral cycle, even as false claims that the last presidential election was fraudulent continue to plague their platforms. Naomi Nix, Washington Post, 20 Aug. 2022 Armie Hammer’s recent headline-grabbing controversy is not the only one to plague the notable family. Ellise Shafer, Variety, 10 Aug. 2022 Yet, pervasive stereotypes still seem to plague the group. Jasmine Browley, Essence, 4 Aug. 2022 Levin also predicted that the use of dark money, or money given to groups that are not required to disclose their donors, would plague the Democratic party moving forward. Alexandra Marquez, NBC News, 3 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English plage, from Late Latin plaga, from Latin, blow; akin to Latin plangere to strike — more at plaint
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing plague
Kids Definition
plague 1 of 2
noun
ˈplāg
1
: something that causes much distress
a plague of locusts
2
: a disease that causes death and spreads quickly to a large number of people
3
: bubonic plague
plague
2 of 2verb
plagued; plaguing
1
: to affect with disease or trouble
Fleas plague the poor dog.
2
: to cause worry or distress to
I'm plagued by guilt.
Medical Definition
plague
noun
ˈplāg
1
: an epidemic disease causing a high rate of mortality : pestilence
a plague of cholera
2
: a virulent contagious febrile disease that is caused by a bacterium of the genus Yersinia (Y. pestis synonym Pasteurella pestis), that occurs in bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic forms, and that is usually transmitted from rats to humans by the bite of infected fleas (as in bubonic plague) or directly from person to person (as in pneumonic plague)
called also black death
plague 1 of 2
verb
as in to afflict
to cause persistent suffering to plagued by a cough for all of last week Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- afflict
- curse
- torture
- persecute
- besiege
- attack
- beset
- trouble
- torment
- bedevil
- anguish
- bother
- overwhelm
- strike
- sting
- harrow
- annoy
- rack
- disturb
- agonize
- aggravate
- worry
- hurt
- bug
- distress
- excruciate
- pursue
- stress
- vex
- hound
- oppress
- harass
- discomfort
- irritate
- assail
- pain
- badger
- strain
- irk
- dog
- upset
- disquiet
- exasperate
- ride
- smite
- harry
- peeve
- stab
- pester
- gripe
- victimize
- put out
- grieve
- chafe
- crush
- grate
- try
- agitate
- perturb
- molest
- discompose
- pique
- gall
- fluster
- overpower
- nettle
- martyr
- smart
- rile
- tyrannize
- prick
- pang
- get
- rasp
- hagride
- wring
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- aid
- help
- assist
- relieve
- release
- comfort
- abet
- deliver
- soothe
- console
- content
- quiet
- reprieve
- succor
- solace
plague
2 of 2noun
as in pestilence
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
- pestilence
- epidemic
- illness
- pest
- infection
- curse
- sickness
- pandemic
- contagion
- blight
- malady
- ailment
- murrain
- scourge
- infirmity
- affliction
- affection
Synonym Chooser
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
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
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
Although the words harry and plague have much in common, harry may imply heavy oppression or maltreatment.
the strikers had been harried by thugs
In some situations, the words pester and plague are roughly equivalent. However, pester stresses the repetition of petty attacks.
constantly pestered with trivial complaints
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
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