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

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 notes

In 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

Word forms

peskier comparative, peskiest superlative

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “pesky” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

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.

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.