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.
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Recent Examples of bugs
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 June 2026
Treat Infestations Sprinkling a mix of equal parts borax and sugar can help get rid of bugs like ants and roaches (they’ll be attracted to the sugar and die after consuming the borax).
—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
20 June 2026
Summer is the season of outdoor adventures, which, of course, will include a few interactions with bugs.
—
Rebecca Norris,
InStyle,
18 June 2026
Certain incense scents may help keep bugs away while outdoors — most notably citronella, which is commonly used in candles for just that purpose.
—
Bestreviews,
Mercury News,
17 June 2026
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
As an existing subdivision — 99% of it vacant — Azure Vista offered hundreds of buildable vacant lots populated only by red ants, quail and Groucho Marx bugs.
—
Eric Duvall,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
Travelers are advised to inspect hotel rooms upon arrival and use precautions like plastic bags or luggage liners to prevent bringing bed bugs home.
—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Jan. 2026
Check the head and base and foot of the bed, peeling back the top sheet to look for evidence on mattress covers, box springs, dust ruffles, and the headboard—and most importantly, the mattress seams and piping because bed bugs like to hide in cracks and crevices.
—
Arricca Elin Sansone,
Southern Living,
25 Dec. 2025
Both can reduce debris or items that attract the boxelder bugs.
—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 Oct. 2025
At the end of the 19th century, Phylloxera bugs infected vineyards across Europe but a solution was found, and viticulture adapted and continued.
—
Miguel A. Torres,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
The singer admitted that he bugs Brown and his son for constant updates on the baby girl.
—
Janelle Ash,
FOXNews.com,
28 Sep. 2025
Which bugs bite on the NC coast?
—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
Schrader also suggests using mattress and box spring encasements, which seal in any bugs already present and prevent new ones from thriving.
—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 June 2026
Treat Infestations Sprinkling a mix of equal parts borax and sugar can help get rid of bugs like ants and roaches (they’ll be attracted to the sugar and die after consuming the borax).
—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
20 June 2026
Summer is the season of outdoor adventures, which, of course, will include a few interactions with bugs.
—
Rebecca Norris,
InStyle,
18 June 2026
Certain incense scents may help keep bugs away while outdoors — most notably citronella, which is commonly used in candles for just that purpose.
—
Bestreviews,
Mercury News,
17 June 2026
Verb
When traveling, the EPA suggests inspecting any room visitors will be staying in for the presence of bed bugs.
—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
As an existing subdivision — 99% of it vacant — Azure Vista offered hundreds of buildable vacant lots populated only by red ants, quail and Groucho Marx bugs.
—
Eric Duvall,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
Travelers are advised to inspect hotel rooms upon arrival and use precautions like plastic bags or luggage liners to prevent bringing bed bugs home.
—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Jan. 2026
Check the head and base and foot of the bed, peeling back the top sheet to look for evidence on mattress covers, box springs, dust ruffles, and the headboard—and most importantly, the mattress seams and piping because bed bugs like to hide in cracks and crevices.
—
Arricca Elin Sansone,
Southern Living,
25 Dec. 2025
Both can reduce debris or items that attract the boxelder bugs.
—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 Oct. 2025
At the end of the 19th century, Phylloxera bugs infected vineyards across Europe but a solution was found, and viticulture adapted and continued.
—
Miguel A. Torres,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
The singer admitted that he bugs Brown and his son for constant updates on the baby girl.
—
Janelle Ash,
FOXNews.com,
28 Sep. 2025
Which bugs bite on the NC coast?
—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugs
Noun
-
Good choices include live sunfish, suckers, bullheads, carp, goldfish, and chubs.
-
Southerners are suckers for cities on the water, and the charming community of Stuart, Florida, is abundantly blessed on that front.
Noun
-
Erika Anderson is a postdoctoral scholar at UC San Francisco harnessing molecular biology to better understand the development of diseases.
-
Health scores indicate how well a country keeps its people alive and well, like whether children are born and stay healthy, whether adults live long lives and if the incidence of preventable diseases is kept low.
Noun
-
The lunatics are running the asylum.
-
Tony Hale, Alia Shawkat, Michael Cera, Will Arnett and other lunatics round out the cast.
Verb
-
What is the pettiest thing that annoys you during a race weekend?
-
One of the more common ways bear encounters escalate is when an off-leash dog runs toward a bear, annoys it, and then comes sprinting back to its owner with an angry predator in pursuit.
Verb
-
Oh, and more often than not, nobody bothers to check whether the change intervention actually worked, or whether leaders improve their performance after all!
-
The government no longer even bothers to disguise itself as a democracy.
Noun
-
AIs will be our friends, our confidants, our therapists, our doctors, our employees, our business partners—and yes, in many cases, our romantic partners and lovers.
-
And now the opportunity to get to travel to them with other fans, with other book lovers, just too good to pass up.
Noun
-
Oura rings are beloved for their ability to track steps, monitor sleep, and even catch illnesses before symptoms begin.
-
Older adults and young children are most sensitive to extreme heat, as are people who are pregnant, overweight, have disabilities or chronic illnesses.
Noun
-
Because Sidney Prescott, now Evans, exists only in relationship to Ghostface, the costume worn by many different knife-wielding maniacs over the years, starting with her high school boyfriend.
-
Because Sidney Prescott, now Evans, exists only in relationship to Ghostface, the costume worn by many different knife-wielding maniacs over the years, starting with her high school boyfriend.
Cite this Entry
“Bugs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugs. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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