Vocabulary Builder — Essay & Answer Writing
Pernicious
adjective
/ per-NISH-us /
Hard
Meaning
Having a harmful or destructive effect, especially in a subtle or gradual way that is not immediately obvious
Origin / Etymology
Latin perniciosus — pernicies (destruction, ruin)
Synonyms
Harmful
Detrimental
Insidious
Deleterious
Antonyms
Beneficial
Benign
Salutary
Helpful
Example Sentence
"Loan waiver politics has a pernicious effect on credit culture — borrowers begin to anticipate forgiveness, creating moral hazard and discouraging repayment."
🎯 UPSC Usage
Strong negative adjective for Mains answers and essays. Use when a policy or practice has long-term hidden costs: 'pernicious effects of fiscal populism', 'pernicious cycle of poverty', 'the pernicious influence of money in elections'. Stronger than 'harmful' because it implies the damage is gradual, deep, and not always visible.