flypaper

noun

fly·​pa·​per ˈflī-ˌpā-pər How to pronounce flypaper (audio)
: paper coated with a sticky often poisonous substance for killing flies

Examples of flypaper in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In 1923, according to the Baltimore Afro-American newspaper and other accounts, one patient got into a disagreement with a younger guard who taunted him and covered his mouth with sticky flypaper. Donna M. Owens, NBC News, 24 Jan. 2024 For liberals, however, the idea is flypaper for falsehoods. Rhoda Feng, BostonGlobe.com, 29 June 2023 Lesser known than other carnivorous plants, the butterwort is the flypaper of the carnivorous plant world. Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 6 Dec. 2021 Unsuspecting proteins that typically interact with the bait are immobilized as well; the rest of the protein pool is flushed away, leaving a set of associated proteins on the surface, like flies on flypaper. Jeffrey Marlow, Discover Magazine, 2 Dec. 2015 Like flypaper, these sticky plants ensnare many of the tiny creatures that are unfortunate enough to land there. Elizabeth Preston, Discover Magazine, 21 July 2015 Clouds of flies were so thick that dead ones dropped off flypaper strips hanging over tables in the dining hall. Beth Nakamura, The Oregonian - OregonLive.com, 26 Oct. 2022 In a dank home in the village of Malotaranivka on the outskirts of Kramatorsk, speckled twists of flypaper hung from the living room ceiling. Cara Anna, Anchorage Daily News, 26 July 2022 With flypaper-like hands in help defense and 44% accuracy on catch-and-shoot three-pointers, Covington became one of their top targets to retain. Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flypaper.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of flypaper was in 1846

Dictionary Entries Near flypaper

Cite this Entry

“Flypaper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flypaper. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

flypaper

noun
fly·​pa·​per -ˌpā-pər How to pronounce flypaper (audio)
: paper coated with a sticky often poisonous substance for killing flies

More from Merriam-Webster on flypaper

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!