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- Dictionaryper·ni·cious/pərˈniSHəs/
adjective
- 1. having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way: "the pernicious influences of the mass media"
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Its original meaning in English, “highly injurious or destructive,” usually applies to things (“pernicious apathy,” “pernicious effects”) and medical conditions (“pernicious fever,” “pernicious anemia”). When applied to people, pernicious means “wicked.”
adjective. us / pərˈnɪʃ·əs / Add to word list. having a very harmful effect or influence: The book focuses on the pernicious effects of slavery. (Definition of pernicious from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press) Examples of pernicious. pernicious.
Pernicious means harmful and subtle, such as a poison gas that causes illness in those exposed to it over the course of years.
Pernicious definition: causing insidious harm or ruin; ruinous; injurious; hurtful. See examples of PERNICIOUS used in a sentence.
adjective. If you describe something as pernicious, you mean that it is very harmful. [formal] Parents are blaming not only peer pressure but also the pernicious influence of the internet. There is a pernicious culture of excellence: everything has to be not merely good but the best.
having a very harmful effect or influence: The cuts in government funding have had a pernicious effect on local health services. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Dangerous and harmful. adverse conditions. adverse effect. adverse publicity. adverse reaction. deleteriously. destabilizing. destructively. destructiveness. impact statement.
Jun 2, 2024 · pernicious ( comparative more pernicious, superlative most pernicious) Causing much harm in a subtle way. Causing death or injury; deadly . (of a person) Insidiously villainous: intending to cause harm, especially in a subtle way.
