adjective
pesky
PEHS-kee
Pesky (adjective) means annoying or troublesome, especially in a persistent, low-level way. Example: “A pesky fly kept buzzing around the picnic table.”
adjective
1
Annoying or troublesome, especially in a persistent, low-level way.
"A pesky fly kept buzzing around the picnic table."
"We finally fixed that pesky bug in the login page."
How to use pesky
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMildly annoying, in a way that keeps coming back — often used about small animals, insects, or minor problems.
When to use it
Informal and a bit old-fashioned/folksy in tone.
Common pairings
pesky fly
pesky little
pesky problem
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Word forms
- Comparative
- peskier
- Superlative
- peskiest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
A _____ fly kept buzzing around the picnic table.
Etymology
Possibly an alteration of "pesty" (from "pest"), following a pattern similar to "nasty" shifting toward "nasky" in some dialects.
Synonyms
View more →
pestering
plaguy
annoying
pestiferous
galling
vexing
vexatious
nettlesome
bothersome
irritating
teasing
plaguey
Antonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “pesky” mean?
The word “pesky” means annoying or troublesome, especially in a persistent, low-level way. In plain terms, mildly annoying, in a way that keeps coming back — often used about small animals, insects, or minor problems.
How do you pronounce “pesky”?
“Pesky” is pronounced PEHS-kee (/ˈpɛski/ in IPA).
How do you use “pesky” in a sentence?
Here is “pesky” used in a sentence: “A pesky fly kept buzzing around the picnic table.”
What part of speech is “pesky”?
“Pesky” is an adjective.
