pestilencenoun
uk/ˈpes.tɪ.ləns/us/ˈpes.təl.əns/[ C or U ] formal any very serious infectious disease that spreads quickly and kills large numbers of people
[ S ] a serious and growing problem:
The report states that vandalism is a pestilence that must be stamped out.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Fevers & infectious diseases
- ague
- burn up
- chickenpox
- chlamydia
- dengue
- diphtheria
- Ebola
- EHF
- EVD
- febrile
- feverish
- malaria
- plague
- polio
- quarantine
- scarlatina
- Staphylococcus infection
- typhoid fever
- yeast infection
- yellow fever
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Difficult situations and unpleasant experiences