plague
noun
an epidemic disease that causes high mortality; pestilence.
had plagued
-
past perfectof plague.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The 1882 installation of the first central power station on New York’s Pearl Street signaled the end of the gas-lamp era, which had plagued cities with soot and fire hazards.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026
There was citrus canker, a viral infection that had plagued citrus for years prior to the arrival of greening.
From Slate ● Apr. 20, 2026
During a training session there, Gardner inflamed a groin injury that had plagued him for months.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 1, 2026
Infrastructure woes had plagued the summit from the start -- leaking ceilings, broken air conditioners, toilets running out of water and more.
From Barron's ● Nov. 22, 2025
I think we all unspokenly agreed when they came in that in order to maintain our solidarity we had to stand up against the kinds of ideals that had plagued us for years.
From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz
