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
-
Tiny beads of blood had seeped out and dried into tiny specks.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Here indeed was a dense speck of wilderness under preserve.—
John Bowe,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Editors could immediately tell that this wasn't your typical tortilla chip, noting the pale color and dark flecks of chia seed.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
30 Jan. 2026
-
But right now, nearly every fleck of AI folly that’s risen to the top has been utter dreck.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
With the margarita, that little bit of extra kick creates a perfect pairing.—
Will Richmond,
The Providence Journal,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Olive salad adds punchy, bold flavor while chewy bits of salami add smoky, savory notes to each bite.—
Melinda Salchert,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
With fewer large particles to scatter light indiscriminately, the colors that reach your eyes can appear richer.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Our skies will turn hazy with all the dust particles in the air.—
Nicole Villalpando,
Austin American Statesman,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The mobsters turned the van around, pulled off the highway and dumped Gasso in a patch of poison ivy along the Connecticut River in Wethersfield.—
Edmund H. Mahony,
Hartford Courant,
12 Feb. 2026
-
The concierge can also help with setting up activities like dog sledding, fishing, whale-watching, and fishing (or even just recommend hiking trails to blueberry patches on the property).—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Use a clean microfiber mop to clean in long strokes in the direction of the wood grain.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Short grain Arborio rice (the same variety used for risotto) is the ideal rice for this pudding because the grains are short and starchy; as the rice cooks, the starch transforms the milk and water into a thick, rich sauce.—
Robin Miller,
AZCentral.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Cut with a floured 2 3/4- to 3-inch round or square cutter; re-form scraps as necessary to make six biscuits.—
Holly Riordan,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The Italian, now a free agent, is the favourite to be named as the next permanent Tottenham boss according to Betfair, as the team gear up for a relegation scrap over the final months of the season.—
Peter South,
New York Times,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
No context is offered for the music snippets, which last in length from five to 13 seconds, and only one of which includes a vocal.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The post is soundbedded by a snippet of the track, and is shared as a collaboration with Michael Chugg’s Chugg Entertainment, a joint venture with Frontier Touring.—
Lars Brandle,
Billboard,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flyspeck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flyspeck. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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