as in speck
a very small piece
surreptitiously removed a flyspeck of dirt from the china
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Recent Examples of flyspeck
That’s a flyspeck in a galaxy that measures 100,000 light years across and a universe that is a staggering 94 billion light years.
—
Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 21 Dec. 2022
Travelers jumping into the West Texas badlands from Mexico through Candelaria, a flyspeck village 50 miles up two-lane blacktop northwest of Presidio, might be deceived by the prevailing verdant quiet.
—Dudley Althaus, San Antonio Express-News, 26 June 2021
But with a thousand islands scattered along their country’s jade-green Adriatic coast, from deserted flyspecks to hipster outposts, there’s no shortage of places to lick one’s wounds—or bask in silver-medal glory.
—Anja Mutić, WSJ, 19 July 2018
Compared to this, Comcast is a flyspeck, and Charter hasn’t even gotten started.
—David Dayen, The New Republic, 30 Apr. 2018
Amid these forces, Fed rate hikes are a relative flyspeck, says Doug Duncan, chief economist of Fannie Mae.
—Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 14 June 2017
Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 21 Dec. 2022
Travelers jumping into the West Texas badlands from Mexico through Candelaria, a flyspeck village 50 miles up two-lane blacktop northwest of Presidio, might be deceived by the prevailing verdant quiet.
—Dudley Althaus, San Antonio Express-News, 26 June 2021
But with a thousand islands scattered along their country’s jade-green Adriatic coast, from deserted flyspecks to hipster outposts, there’s no shortage of places to lick one’s wounds—or bask in silver-medal glory.
—Anja Mutić, WSJ, 19 July 2018
Compared to this, Comcast is a flyspeck, and Charter hasn’t even gotten started.
—David Dayen, The New Republic, 30 Apr. 2018
Amid these forces, Fed rate hikes are a relative flyspeck, says Doug Duncan, chief economist of Fannie Mae.
—Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 14 June 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flyspeck
Noun
-
Desmond Fairchild got a speck of dust in his eye and Dotty, tut-tutting with concern, lent him a tissue to blow his nose.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Mar. 2026
-
On Saturday, a gruesome smear of dark red blood could still be found on the sidewalk, with specks of blood being found near a Citi Bike charging station.—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Berber carpet Berber is a type of loop pile carpet with flecks of color.—
Faith Wakefield,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Using x-ray fluorescence spectrometry, scholars determined that the ancient off-white fluid was composed of calcite, huntite, and miniscule flecks of yellow orpiment, a highly toxic sulfide of arsenic that Egyptians also used in medicine to treat syphilis and malaria.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
With a swell of applause and a burst of smoke and explosions, Fuerza closed out the night — an apt ending for a band that isn’t afraid to break the rules a little bit.—
Julyssa Lopez,
Rolling Stone,
14 Mar. 2026
-
For scuff marks or sticky buildup, Stein likes to use a slightly stronger vinegar solution or a damp cloth with a tiny bit of dish soap.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The perhaps ironic primary cause is regulations on international shipping reducing pollutant particles, which reflected sunlight into space.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
12 Mar. 2026
-
These particles move through a continuous space-time and interact via forces.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
How dopamine patches are marketed Dopamine plays a key role in encouraging us to stay motivated, and research suggests ADHD may be linked to issues with the way dopamine is transmitted within the brain.—
Helena Kudiabor,
SELF,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Finneas in seafoam-green under-eye patches, Ariana Madix in purple on the Taco Bell purple carpet, and Benson Boone doing a backflip to announce a dessert Crunchwrap.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Just before my visit, a motor on one of the farm’s grain bins needed repairs.—
Boyce Upholt,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
-
When the rice and whole grains are cool, add to a large bowl with the remaining salad ingredients, adding the lamb’s lettuce (or rocket, or spinach) last and tossing everything together.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
And during a scrap for a loose ball, five bodies hit the floor, and when a jump ball was finally called, Burries and Houston forward Kalifa Sakho laid on the court unwilling to let go.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Welcome back to The Athletic’s relegation-battle update, where our data and tactics writers take a weekly look at the key trends behind the scrap for Premier League survival.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
These are a few of the plentiful subjects broached by the movie, which goes on to encompass snippets of various activist groups, civil liberties attorneys, and local politicians, but all these topics are crammed into a scant 84-minute runtime, and few are given the requisite attention.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Cawood introduced Gavitt — a snippet of Cawood’s remarks were carried on the telecast, subjecting him to considerable teasing — who spoke live on national television at the front of a Hyatt ballroom full of people.—
Bill Hancock,
Kansas City Star,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flyspeck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flyspeck. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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