1
as in sucker
a person with a strong and habitual liking for something
a camera bug who loves taking candid shots at fairs and festivals
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disease
an abnormal state that disrupts a plant's or animal's normal bodily functioning
I can't go to work today because I've caught some bug that's going around
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to annoy
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
these incessant phone calls are really starting to bug me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to bother
to thrust oneself upon (another) without invitation
I hate to bug you, but could you help me move this table?
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bug
Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2026
Other attractions at the event will be a speakeasy on the porch where bartenders will serve drinks, a VW bus from the 1970s and a VW bug in the side yard where people exit, and a tent holding a 1970s disco with a DJ.
—Myrna Petlicki, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 30 Mar. 2026
The cost of it, however, is boots and bug repellent.
—Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bug
Noun
Nonetheless, Munden added his own visual flair, with color saturation, distorted close-ups to show the characters’ disorientation, and mesmerizing shots of nature writ large (raging fires, roiling ocean waves, torrential storms) and small (ants devouring a bug).
—Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2026
Other attractions at the event will be a speakeasy on the porch where bartenders will serve drinks, a VW bus from the 1970s and a VW bug in the side yard where people exit, and a tent holding a 1970s disco with a DJ.
—Myrna Petlicki, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
Verb
Chandler Zavala has been fighting the injury bug his whole career.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 30 Mar. 2026
The cost of it, however, is boots and bug repellent.
—Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bug
Noun
-
Keep in mind that trumpet vines can become invasive by self-seeding and sending up suckers, so allocate ample space.—
Sheryl Geerts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Snip upright suckers and water sprouts that zap the tree’s energy.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Hantavirus disease is considered rare, with 890 cases reported in the United States between 1993 and 2023.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
-
In 2024, for example, more than 700 newborns died from spontaneous bleeding in their brains, which could have been complicated by liver disease or prematurity.—
Lee Hutchinson,
ArsTechnica,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
The non-meat use of the term came from the online chat room community, which by the late 1980s was already using it to denote a mass influx of data into their chat rooms that could trigger a computer crash and/or annoy chat room users.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
27 Apr. 2026
-
As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if the president doesn’t get annoyed with him once or twice.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
After a frustrating conversation with a hotel staffer about the air conditioning, a hot and bothered Fuller threw on a ball cap, turned it backward and recorded a rant on his cellphone.—
Tia Mitchell,
AJC.com,
1 May 2026
-
Nine months after Varland was traded, Twins fans are still bothered the hometown kid isn’t clicking for them instead, especially given recent results from Minnesota’s bullpen.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Made in response to a difficult breakup, the work alludes to two lovers parting ways, but also to Pau’s memories of isolation as a severely asthmatic child in a notoriously polluted city, lying in bed staring at the wall and inventing stories to distract herself from the difficulty of breathing.—
Pauline J. Yao,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
-
People who collect rare books are book lovers, first and foremost.—
Marc Weingarten,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
But by the time Forrest reaches age 10, when dogs become eligible for Loyal’s pill, those defenses will more often misfire and fail to stop not just cancer but also other life-abbreviating ailments.—
Ross Andersen,
The Atlantic,
2 May 2026
-
Plus, the sandals have a thick leather strap that provides a pillowy cushion around the top of the foot, which is helpful for anyone with foot ailments.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Valve’s timing also coincided with a tenuous time for Windows, when Microsoft was asking users to move from Windows 10 to Windows 11, an OS with a reputation for being irritating and having higher system requirements.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
1 May 2026
-
What surprised me the most is how the fragrance doesn’t irritate my skin.—
Rylee Johnston,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
One perhaps shouldn’t worry too much about AI being prompted to resurrect a talk-show host, what with the whole format dying anyway.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
6 May 2026
-
Equally important, a chatbot does not worry about your wellbeing the way a doctor might—which is important, since the best healers combine technical skills with moral judgment and empathy.—
Sudheesha Perera,
Time,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bug. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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