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
-
These black specks show up each autumn, congregating on my screens and windowsill, and complicating my desire to open the window on a pleasant day.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
4 Nov. 2025
-
The vacuum is dedicated to getting even the tiniest specks of dirt, circling back two or three times until the area is spotless.—
Terri Williams,
Architectural Digest,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Nice vanilla bean flecks and round, fatty flavor with only the subtlest hint of coconut.—
Alex Beggs,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
28 Oct. 2025
-
And Abrams-Draine still managed to emerge with just a few flecks of soot after getting thrown in the fire last season, picking off Justin Herbert in a loss to the Chargers and establishing himself as a building block in a spot start.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Another Halloween fanatic, Janelle Monáe fully committed to the bit by dressing as the Cat in the Hat for her Jennifer Hudson Spirit Tunnel walk.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Use a mulching mower to chop the leaves into tiny bits that can be left on the lawn to nourish the soil.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The inspector found particle growth on the ice guard of the ice maker, dirty walls and floors in the two walk-in freezers and insufficient hot water at the hand sink and three-compartment sink.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Start the process by vigorously shaking or hanging then pounding the rug to remove loose dirt, crumbs, and other particles, then vacuum it thoroughly on both sides, using a canister vacuum with the hose or a high pile setting—and no beater bar!—
Jennifer Beck Goldblatt,
Architectural Digest,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
There’s the child, now grown, who sits near the bed, pretending to read but in fact is keeping restless watch; the child’s awkwardness in front of the parent’s nakedness; the fentanyl patches, for the last stations of pain.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
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Make sure your computer, smartphone and web browser all have the latest security patches installed.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Teaninich 8 Year Old ‘Daring Rye’ is a single grain whisky made with rye in the mashbill—uncommon but not unheard of in scotch whisky—giving it nice spice notes along with classic flavors picked up from its maturation in bourbon barrels.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
31 Oct. 2025
-
At 34 yards, the bowman sent a Rage 2-blade, 100-grain broadhead arrow through the deer’s chest.—
Bob McNally,
Outdoor Life,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Generals capture by far the biggest share of those profits; the colonels and captains who serve under them likely get table scraps.—
Quico Toro,
The Atlantic,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Vitale loved it, posing for one photo after another, signing one scrap of paper after another, making one joke about his bald head after another.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Listen to snippets of the songs.—
NPR,
NPR,
5 Nov. 2025
-
The two other successful movies of the summer of 1976 were That’s Entertainment, Part 2, a movie composed of snippets from lots of old movies, and All the President’s Men.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flyspeck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flyspeck. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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