pernicious

/pəˈnɪʃəs/ (bre, ipa) · [pɚnˈɪʃəs] /pərˈnɪʃəs/ (ame, ipa) · [pɚnˈɪʃəs] /pər-ˈni-shəs/ (ame, mw)

pernicious — adjective

  • perniciouspositive
  • more perniciouscomparative
  • most pernicioussuperlative

1. causing serious harm that develops slowly or is hard to notice at first

1.形容詞C1
釋義

causing serious harm that develops slowly or is hard to notice at first

例句

The spread of fake news has a pernicious effect on how people see the world.

collocation: pernicious effect on

Ryo left the company because pernicious gossip made everyone afraid to speak up.

collocation: pernicious gossip

同義詞
  • damaging

    more common and less formal; does not carry the idea of hidden or gradual harm

  • destructive

    stronger in force, often suggesting physical ruin rather than slow decay

  • harmful

    more general and neutral; lacks the sense of insidious, creeping danger

  • insidious

    very close in meaning; insidious emphasizes the secret or stealthy nature of the harm more than pernicious does

反義詞
  • beneficial

    producing good effects, the opposite of causing harm

  • harmless

    not causing any damage at all

文法句型

pernicious + noun

be + pernicious

用法筆記

Common in formal writing about social issues, politics, health, or ideas. Frequently used before nouns such as effect, influence, practice, and ideology.

常見錯誤

❌The storm had a pernicious effect on the roof.
✅The storm had a damaging effect on the roof.
💡Pernicious describes gradual or hidden harm, not immediate physical damage from an event.
❌He is a pernicious person who lies.
✅He is a dishonest person who lies.
💡Pernicious is used for effects and influences, not for people or their character directly.