pestilential
Carrying deadly contagion
Pestilential describes something that causes or relates to pestilence—deadly epidemic disease.
More commonly, it serves as a forceful term of disapproval for anything noxious, destructive, or morally corrupting: pestilential slums, pestilential influence.
The word carries a dramatic, almost biblical weight that makes it useful for condemning things as thoroughly harmful or annoying.
The pestilential mosquitoes made the campsite unbearable.
Harmful atmospheric emanation
- stenchPowerfully offensive odor
- fetidHaving foul odor
- putridDecomposed and foul-smelling
- foulOffensive or illegal
rank · reek · effluvia · exhalations · swampy · stagnant · dank · murky
Deadly epidemic disease
- epidemicWidespread disease occurrence
- pandemicGlobal disease outbreak
- contagionDisease spread by contact
- infectionPathogen invasion causing illness
outbreak · bubonic · quarantine · typhus · cholera · smallpox · influenza · tuberculosis
Harmful, especially when inhaled
- perniciousGradually and subtly harmful
- banefulCausing serious harm
- deleteriousCausing harm or damage
- poisonousCapable of causing death
toxic · deadly · lethal · venomous · virulent · insalubrious · unhealthy · harmful
Gradually and subtly harmful
- insidiousSubtly destructive over time
- corrosiveDestroys by chemical action
- subversiveSeeking to undermine authority
- taintMake impure
contaminate · defile · pollute · debase · vitiate · undermine · canker · blight
Causing annoyance or distress
- irksomeCausing mild frustration
- bothersomeCausing mild annoyance
- irritatingCausing mild frustration
- troublesomeCausing difficulty or annoyance
maddening · infuriating · nuisance · aggravating · tiresome · pesky · annoying · exasperating
miasma
Harmful atmospheric emanation
foul · rank · reek · effluvia · exhalations · swampy · stagnant · dank · murky · vaporous
plague
Deadly epidemic disease
- epidemicWidespread disease occurrence
- pandemicGlobal disease outbreak
- contagionDisease spread by contact
infection · outbreak · bubonic · quarantine · typhus · cholera · smallpox · influenza · tuberculosis · pathogen
noxious
Harmful, especially when inhaled
- perniciousGradually and subtly harmful
- banefulCausing serious harm
- deleteriousCausing harm or damage
poisonous · toxic · deadly · lethal · venomous · virulent · insalubrious · unhealthy · harmful · dangerous
pernicious
Gradually and subtly harmful
- insidiousSubtly destructive over time
- corrosiveDestroys by chemical action
- subversiveSeeking to undermine authority
taint · contaminate · defile · pollute · debase · vitiate · undermine · canker · blight · depravity
vexatious
Causing annoyance or distress
- irksomeCausing mild frustration
- bothersomeCausing mild annoyance
- irritatingCausing mild frustration
troublesome · maddening · infuriating · nuisance · aggravating · tiresome · pesky · annoying · exasperating · obnoxious