1. a deadly or virulent epidemic disease
2. something that is considered harmful, destructive, or evil
Usage: figurative

Examples

• The pestilence swept through the medieval city, killing thousands.
• Historians documented how the pestilence changed European society forever.
• The old texts warned of pestilence as one of the four horsemen.
• War and pestilence ravaged the countryside for years.
• He called corruption a pestilence that infected the entire government.
• The mayor declared drug addiction a pestilence threatening the community.