1
as in suckers
a person with a strong and habitual liking for something
a camera bug who loves taking candid shots at fairs and festivals
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in diseases
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
3
as in lunatics
a person having or showing a severely disordered or abnormal state of mind
a bug with a fascination for committing arson
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in annoys
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 bothers
to thrust oneself upon (another) without invitation
I hate to bug you, but could you help me move this table?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 bugs
Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Sep. 2025
Through the BirdReturns farmlands program, late-summer fields are filled with a shallow 2- to 4-inch depth, allowing shorebirds to pluck bugs from the mud beneath the water.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2025
These items are negatively affected by heat, humidity, bugs, and even light.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 3 Sep. 2025
Crypto’s security risks are unique, and smart contract bugs or wallet hacks can wipe out funds.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
And then some of these astronauts get infested with extraterrestrial bugs, and everything becomes extremely gross.
—Noel Murray, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025
The plant also contains a chemical called emodin, which prevents bugs and animals from eating it.
—Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
This week, Kat had multiple meltdowns over bugs.
—EW.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Jake Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2025
Noun
Keeping wood piles near your home can encourage bugs that hang out in those piles to make their way inside.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Sep. 2025
Through the BirdReturns farmlands program, late-summer fields are filled with a shallow 2- to 4-inch depth, allowing shorebirds to pluck bugs from the mud beneath the water.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2025
These items are negatively affected by heat, humidity, bugs, and even light.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 3 Sep. 2025
Crypto’s security risks are unique, and smart contract bugs or wallet hacks can wipe out funds.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
And then some of these astronauts get infested with extraterrestrial bugs, and everything becomes extremely gross.
—Noel Murray, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025
The plant also contains a chemical called emodin, which prevents bugs and animals from eating it.
—Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
This week, Kat had multiple meltdowns over bugs.
—EW.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Verb
Fort Worth bed bugs The B-plot of Episode 7 has Peggy setting up a Little Free Library in her front yard in an effort to build community.
—Jake Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugs
Noun
-
The little suckers will ingest this and die.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Cephalopods’ soft bodies sprout arms and bloom with suckers at these same splits.—
Jake Buehler,
Quanta Magazine,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Fox News' Health newsletter brings you stories on the latest developments in healthcare, wellness, diseases, mental health and more.—
Staff,
FOXNews.com,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Will eradicated diseases make a comeback if vaccination rates decline?—
Lily Altavena,
Freep.com,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This annoys his wife, who hankers after Bingley (sight unseen) as a future son-in-law.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In New York, there’s no worry; no one bothers us.—
Katie Schultz,
Architectural Digest,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Monteverde’s cloud forest is a haven for nature lovers, with canopy walks and wildlife encounters that will delight young and old alike.—
Travel + Leisure Editors,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Their model allows coffee lovers to directly invest in coffee trees, funding farmers who need upfront capital to allocate for faster farm growth, whilst also getting a share of the revenue.—
Sandy Peng,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
These rules, enforced by the state Department of Health, are designed to prevent outbreaks of contagious illnesses that once posed widespread threats.—
Peter Aitken,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Public records and lawsuits show that many in-custody deaths involved serious health care lapses — medication being withheld, delayed care and failure to monitor people with serious illnesses.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
During his appearance on Josh Horowitz's Happy Sad Confused podcast alongside his The Roses costar Olivia Colman, the 49-year-old actor opened up about what irritates his family members.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
People.com,
28 Aug. 2025
-
The news irritates Lord Lovat, knowing that if the MacKenzie brothers thought Ellen had run off with Malcom Grant, and Dougal (Sam Retford) was dumb enough to beat Malcom as a result, there has to be a moral lapse in judgment somewhere.—
Lincee Ray Published,
EW.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The growing number of satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) also worries space sustainability experts, who warn about the increasing risk of orbital collisions.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
But the immigration worries – with threats of arrest, detention, and deportation for workers – are just one way Trump’s policies are holding back construction.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bugs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugs. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share