pernicious

Definition of pernicious

causing harm in a subtle way; deadly

Synonyms for pernicious

• injurious
• detrimental
• deleterious

pernicious in a Sentence

1. The spread of misinformation has a pernicious effect on society.

Why pernicious Matters for GRE & SAT

"pernicious" is a adjective that means "causing harm in a subtle way; deadly" closely related to words like "injurious", "detrimental", "deleterious". As a word starting with P, it belongs to a cluster of GRE and SAT vocabulary that test-takers often encounter in Verbal Reasoning, Text Completion, and Reading Comprehension sections.

On the GRE, understanding "pernicious" helps you distinguish between closely related answer choices in Sentence Equivalence questions. On the SAT, recognizing this word in context strengthens your performance on Craft & Structure and Words in Context questions. Seeing how "pernicious" is used in sentences — like the examples above — builds the contextual understanding that standardized tests reward.

Study tip: Start with the definition and part of speech (adjective). Then learn its 3 synonyms to build a word network. Finally, practice with spaced repetition to move "pernicious" into long-term memory.

How to Remember pernicious

One effective way to remember "pernicious" (adjective) is to group it with similar words you already know: "injurious" and "detrimental" and "deleterious". When you encounter "pernicious" on a test, these synonym connections help you quickly recall its meaning — "causing harm in a subtle way; deadly".

Use flashcard apps with spaced repetition to review "pernicious" at increasing intervals until it becomes automatic.

More Vocabulary Words Starting with P

• pacify — bring peace to or calm someone down
• painstaking — Done with or employing great care and thoroughness
• painstaking — done with careful attention to detail
• palpable — So intense as to seem almost tangible
• palpable — tangible, perceptible, or clearly noticeable
• paltry — of little monetary worth; trivial
• panacea — a perfect cure for something
• panache — a stylish and confident manner
• panel — A small group of people brought together to discuss or decide on something
• paradigm — A typical example or pattern of something; a model