bug 1 of 2

noun

ˈbəg How to pronounce bug (audio)
Definition of bugnext
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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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

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bug

2 of 2

verb

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

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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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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 bug
Noun
From bed bugs to asbestos to now Legionnaires' disease — since returning to the office, California state workers have faced many issues. — Carmela Karcher, CBS News, 14 July 2026 This fascinating plant secretes a sweet-smelling nectar along the edges of its leaves to attract ants, spiders, crickets, and other bugs. — Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 14 July 2026
Verb
His doctor had been bugging him for years to get a colonoscopy because of his age, but Driggers declined. — The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 June 2026 The first of the Davids to die, David Green, bugged me for a month about getting in touch with his lover, who had died in December. — Danielle Parker, CBS News, 2 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for bug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bug
  1. sucker
  2. disease
  3. annoy
  4. bother
  5. lover
  6. ailment
  7. irritate
  8. worry
Noun
  • Afterward, Kenins recommends removing water sprouts and suckers.
    — Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 2 July 2026
  • Any Bay State citizen from Boston to Great Barrington would have been handcuffed and hauled into court yesterday for sucker-punching a fellow bar patron the way a State Police officer did over the weekend.
    — Boston Herald editorial staff, Boston Herald, 30 June 2026
Definition of sucker
Noun
  • Already large clinical trials are testing if certain drugs could prevent or at least delay the disease — and if any of those pan out, doctors will need an easy way to tell who should try them.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 July 2026
  • The Sacramento County Coroner’s Office determined Quinonez Palomares died of cardiovascular disease, with obesity listed as a significant contributing condition.
    — Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026
Definition of disease
Verb
  • Paraguay’s tactics, seeking to frustrate and disrupt France, had annoyed Henry as well as the current team and coach.
    — Stuart James, New York Times, 5 July 2026
  • Others are annoyed that its ambiguous language will create confusion over how — or if — the state will enforce compliance.
    — Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 27 June 2026
Definition of annoy
Verb
  • The tequila shrimp empanadas disappear quickly, while the huitlacoche quesadilla folds Oaxaca cheese, mushrooms, roasted corn, and salsa macha crema into something deeper and earthier than most Midtown menus bother attempting.
    — Rafael Peña, Miami Herald, 13 July 2026
  • Maybe altering the letters bothered her most because publication inevitably makes the integrity of a letter—the message from writer to recipient—secondary.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 July 2026
Definition of bother
Noun
  • Guests spill out onto the three-part terrace, with its overhead heaters, barbecue space, and The Cigar Garden, where tobacco lovers can take their pick of Havanas from the humidor and lose themselves in a smoky haze until closing time.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 July 2026
  • For the outdoor lovers the resort offers pickleball and tennis, mountain biking, hiking, climbing, the Arbor Adventure (a 26-element ropes course in the trees), fly fishing, horseback riding, boating, skeet shooting, and more!
    — Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 16 July 2026
Definition of lover
Noun
  • For the third time in a year, his young career has been temporarily derailed by an injury — this time, a thumb ailment that will sideline him into August.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 13 July 2026
  • The respiratory ailment's name comes from an outbreak that hit attendees of an American Legion convention in Philadelphia in 1976.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 July 2026
Definition of ailment
Verb
  • Avoid potentially irritating actives Immediately after shaving is not the time to reach for your strongest skin-care products.
    — Emma-Jade Stoddart, Glamour, 5 July 2026
  • While some of my linen pieces feel scratchy, this one is ultra soft and doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin.
    — Shea Simmons, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
Definition of irritate
Verb
  • Public polls have shown him with an early lead over Collins, and key Republicans worry about their chances in what was once seen as one of the GOP’s best pickup opportunities.
    — Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 15 July 2026
  • Later, Feinmann said his words were not directed at the Mexican people — while musing that Sheinbaum had bigger things to worry about, like combating narco-trafficking, violence and corruption.
    — Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
Definition of worry

Phrases Containing bug

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buffs
bug
bugaboo
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Cite this Entry

“Bug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bug. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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