plaguing

Plaguing is the present participle form of the verb plague. It denotes causing persistent trouble, distress, or affliction, either in a literal sense (as with disease) or in a figurative sense (as with ongoing problems, rumors, or disturbances). In modern usage, plaguing emphasizes the ongoing, troublesome nature of the issue.

Usage and examples: As a transitive verb, plague is followed by a direct object, often with the preposition with or by to indicate what is causing trouble. For example, “The drought is plaguing the region,” “The rumor is plaguing the town,” or “The project is plaguing the team with delays.” The present participle form, “plaguing,” also appears in sentences such as “The delays are plaguing the schedule” or “Misinformation is plaguing the community.” The expression “be plagued by” is widely used to describe a state of sustained affliction, as in “the region has been plagued by floods.”

Etymology and context: The term originates from plague, whose primary sense is a contagious affliction or pestilence. Over time, its figurative use broadened to describe any persistent source of trouble or annoyance. Plaguing is common in journalism, policy discourse, and literature, where writers describe ongoing challenges that irritate, threaten, or hinder people and systems.

See also: plague (disease), pestilence, torment, harass, bedevil.