as in harmful
causing or capable of causing harm
the pernicious effects of illegal narcotics on society
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Recent Examples of pernicious
Ukraine is fighting against a Russia that has been a pernicious, destabilizing force on the global stage.
—
Frida Ghitis, CNN, 22 Jan. 2023
And yet, three full years into the pandemic, scientists are still trying to understand what exactly makes SARS-CoV-2 so pernicious.
—Joel Achenbach, Anchorage Daily News, 21 Jan. 2023
But while the American public seems well aware of social media’s pernicious effects on political discourse, don’t expect things to change anytime soon.
—Jacob Carpenter, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2022
Does this persistent and pernicious misapprehension of the importance of fish in the Mediterranean’s past have ramifications for the modern inheritors of the Mediterranean Sea thousands of years later?
—Paul Greenberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for pernicious
Frida Ghitis, CNN, 22 Jan. 2023
And yet, three full years into the pandemic, scientists are still trying to understand what exactly makes SARS-CoV-2 so pernicious.
—Joel Achenbach, Anchorage Daily News, 21 Jan. 2023
But while the American public seems well aware of social media’s pernicious effects on political discourse, don’t expect things to change anytime soon.
—Jacob Carpenter, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2022
Does this persistent and pernicious misapprehension of the importance of fish in the Mediterranean’s past have ramifications for the modern inheritors of the Mediterranean Sea thousands of years later?
—Paul Greenberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for pernicious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pernicious
Adjective
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Scientists have found bits of plastic in the ocean that are coated in communities of microorganisms, including harmful bacteria.5 Jayakrishnan said the microplastics in the body may play a similar role, offering a medium for cancer-causing bacteria to grow and disrupt the gut microbiome.—
Claire Bugos,
Verywell Health,
7 Mar. 2025
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Better yet, they can still be used on public lands to sustain local communities in place of harmful industrial extraction.—
TIME,
TIME,
6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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And maybe keep them away from a dangerous young Pistons team in the first round.—
Mike Lupica,
New York Daily News,
1 Mar. 2025
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Tale of the Tape Texas Tech is a dangerous squad from deep and the Red Raiders aren’t shy at taking 3-pointers, ranking No. 93 in 3-point rate.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Studies have also shown that exercising during times of poor air quality—for instance, when there is a high level of these fine particulates in the air—is detrimental to our health.—
Claire Maldarelli,
Scientific American,
28 Feb. 2025
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And all deal with American iconography: more specifically, the nation’s foundational reliance on mythology and self-dramatization and the largely detrimental impact of all of that on, well, just making love and having children and trying to keep the wolf from the door.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The cyclone was already bringing heavy rainfall to coastal areas on Saturday, along with damaging winds and storm surges.—
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN,
7 Mar. 2025
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The system brought the potential for heavy rain, damaging winds, and isolated tornadoes.—
Russel Honoré,
Newsweek,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Environmental groups have long opposed the new reservoir and objected to a shorter judicial review, saying the project will release unacceptable amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas, into the air in addition to other adverse impacts.—
Ari Plachta,
Sacramento Bee,
28 Feb. 2025
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The advertisements also are subject to content restrictions, including no profanity, violence, firearms or material adverse to the city’s commercial interests.—
Devan Patel,
The Mercury News,
27 Feb. 2025
Articles Related to pernicious
Cite this Entry
“Pernicious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pernicious. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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