gnat

noun

: any of various small usually biting dipteran flies
gnatty adjective

Examples of gnat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
What those 15,000 or so fair-weather fans missed was the Broncos (4-2, 2-0) asserting themselves in the fourth quarter to pull away for a 41-25 Mountain West win over the Lobos (3-3, 0-2), who for much of the night were like a gnat the home team couldn’t swat away. Jim Keyser, Idaho Statesman, 12 Oct. 2025 The tall West Virginian, though noted for an occasional dubious story, can trail a gnat through a ticker-tape parade at a dead lope. Jim Moore, Outdoor Life, 8 Oct. 2025 Bees and wasps flitted together on yellow flowers, and as the day wore on, gnats clumped in beams of sunshine to make a kind of haze. Blair Braverman, Outside, 6 Oct. 2025 The inspector saw several gnats throughout the kitchen and bar. Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gnat

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English gnætt; akin to Old English gnagan to gnaw

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gnat was before the 12th century

Cite this Entry

“Gnat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gnat. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

gnat

noun
: any of various small usually biting two-winged flies

Medical Definition

gnat

noun
: any of various small usually biting dipteran flies (as a midge or blackfly)

More from Merriam-Webster on gnat

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