adj
pernicious
puh-NIH-shuhs
Pernicious (adj) means causing harm gradually or in a way that is not immediately obvious. Example: “Low-level corruption can have a pernicious effect on public trust.”
adj
1
Causing harm gradually or in a way that is not immediately obvious.
"They warned of the pernicious effects of misinformation."
"A man has always been a woman’s best excuse to avoid her destiny; that a man is her destiny is one of patriarchy’s most pernicious tenets. What a scam."
— Toni Bentley, What Do the Sex Lives of ‘Three Women’ Tell Us About Female Desire? (2019)
"The weed has a pernicious influence on local crops."
"Low-level corruption can have a pernicious effect on public trust."
"The rumor had a pernicious influence on her reputation."
How to use pernicious
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHarmful in a slow, sneaky way that isn't obvious at first.
Common mistake
Pernicious anemia is a fixed medical term (a vitamin B12 deficiency disease) — it doesn't mean the anemia is "sneaky," just that the name is historic.
Common pairings
pernicious effect
pernicious influence
pernicious anemia
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more pernicious
- Superlative
- most pernicious
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Low-level corruption can have a _____ effect on public trust.
Etymology
From Latin perniciosus ("destructive"), from pernicies ("ruin, death").
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for pernicious
See all rhymes for pernicious →Frequently asked questions
What does “pernicious” mean?
The word “pernicious” means causing harm gradually or in a way that is not immediately obvious. In plain terms, harmful in a slow, sneaky way that isn't obvious at first.
How do you pronounce “pernicious”?
“Pernicious” is pronounced puh-NIH-shuhs (/pɚˈnɪʃəs/ in IPA).
How do you use “pernicious” in a sentence?
Here is “pernicious” used in a sentence: “Low-level corruption can have a pernicious effect on public trust.”
What part of speech is “pernicious”?
“Pernicious” is an adjective.
Where does the word “pernicious” come from?
The word “pernicious” comes from Latin. From Latin perniciosus ("destructive"), from pernicies ("ruin, death").
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