maggot

noun

ˈma-gət How to pronounce maggot (audio)
Definition of maggotnext
as in whim
a sudden impulsive and apparently unmotivated idea or action the last maggot he got in his head resulted in a disastrous extramarital affair

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of maggot The screwworm gets its name from the maggots’ habit of burrowing — or screwing — into a wound, according to the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. — Fabiola Sánchez, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2026 Unlike most of the maggots, these ones develop in living flesh. — Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2026 The maggots can cause painful, rapidly enlarging deep wounds, which can destroy muscle, cartilage, and bone—even the skull—if not caught quickly. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2026 The Medfly targets more than 250 types of fruits and vegetables by laying eggs inside them that hatch into maggots, which make the produce inedible. — Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 24 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for maggot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maggot
  1. whim
  2. bee
Noun
  • But elevating the whims of progressive activists and government bureaucrats above the wisdom of the marketplace has proven a costly mistake and undermined consumer choice.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
  • All of this makes the recent terminations tricky for OpenAI and shows that safety disclosures are still very much at the whims of the labs.
    — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of whim
Noun
  • All the Little Houses is set in the wealthy enclave of Longview, Texas, where Charleigh Anderson has clawed her way from outcast to undisputed queen bee.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Wait until temperatures consistently stay above 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) so overwintering bees and butterflies have time to safely emerge.
    — Manjot Kaur Sidhu, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of bee

Browse Nearby Words

mages
maggot
maggots
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Cite this Entry

“Maggot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maggot. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on maggot

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about maggot

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