Meaning & use
pernicious
Having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or not immediately obvious way.
See it in a sentence
The pernicious rumor slowly damaged her reputation long before anyone traced its source.
Economists warned about the pernicious effects of long-term inflation on retired workers' savings.
A note on using this word
Pernicious stresses harm that spreads gradually or subtly, close to insidious, rather than sudden or obvious damage.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pernicious”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.