insidious
Meaning: Proceeding in a gradual, subtle way but with harmful effects; treacherous and stealthy.
Insidious describes something dangerous precisely because its harmful nature is not immediately apparent. It suggests a slow, creeping process that causes damage before anyone notices. It is used for diseases, social problems, propaganda, and corruption. It collocates with 'threat,' 'nature,' 'effect,' 'influence,' and 'disease.'
Examples
- The insidious effects of long-term stress often go unnoticed until serious health problems emerge. 长期压力的潜伏性影响往往不被察觉,直到出现严重的健康问题。Los efectos insidiosos del estrés crónico a menudo pasan desapercibidos hasta que surgen problemas de salud graves.長期的なストレスの潜行的な影響は、深刻な健康問題が現れるまで気づかれないことが多いです。장기적인 스트레스의 잠행적인 영향은 심각한 건강 문제가 나타날 때까지 인식되지 않는 경우가 많습니다.
- Misinformation is particularly insidious because it often contains just enough truth to be convincing. 虚假信息尤其具有潜伏性,因为它往往含有足够多的真实内容而令人信服。La desinformación es especialmente insidiosa porque a menudo contiene la suficiente verdad como para resultar convincente.偽情報は、しばしば十分な真実を含んで説得力があるため、特に陰険です。허위 정보는 종종 충분한 진실을 포함하여 설득력이 있기 때문에 특히 교활합니다.
- The disease has an insidious onset, with symptoms developing so gradually that patients rarely seek early treatment. 这种疾病起病隐匿,症状发展如此缓慢,以至于患者很少寻求早期治疗。La enfermedad tiene un inicio insidioso, con síntomas que se desarrollan tan gradualmente que los pacientes rara vez buscan tratamiento temprano.この病気は潜行性に発症し、症状が非常に緩やかに進行するため、患者が早期に治療を求めることはほとんどありません。이 질병은 잠행성으로 발병하며, 증상이 매우 서서히 진행되어 환자들이 조기에 치료를 받는 경우가 거의 없습니다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: academic, media, professional
Tone: neutral
Origin & History
From Latin insidiosus (cunning, deceitful), from insidiae (ambush, trap), from insidere (to sit in, to lie in wait), from in- (in) and sedere (to sit). Used in English since the mid-16th century.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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