as in nuisances
one who is obnoxiously annoying
the journalist was known as a gadfly for exposing hypocrisy in politics
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Recent Examples of gadflies
Renewable energy advocates treat activists like Gilbert as relentless gadflies who need to be stopped for the good of the planet.
—
Tony Schick, ProPublica, 14 Aug. 2025
Doubling as an account of modern American conservatism (from media gadflies to six Supreme Court justices), the film is punctuated with contemporaneous footage that, viewed through the lens of Olin’s misdeeds, generates the tension and shock of a genre film.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2025
Tony Schick, ProPublica, 14 Aug. 2025
Doubling as an account of modern American conservatism (from media gadflies to six Supreme Court justices), the film is punctuated with contemporaneous footage that, viewed through the lens of Olin’s misdeeds, generates the tension and shock of a genre film.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gadflies
Noun
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But according to Aaron Shmulewitz, a real-estate lawyer, the process for dealing with a repeat window flasher in your co-op isn’t all that different from other nuisances like someone across the hall blasting metal music at midnight.—
Matthew Sedacca,
Curbed,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
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This provides extra protection against mosquitoes, flies, and other pests without the need to coat yourself in bug spray from head to toe.—
Anne Taylor,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Sep. 2025
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Remove wood piles and clutter, seal cracks and leaks, and keep your floors, counters, and appliances clean to prevent pests from entering.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Minor annoyances suddenly widen into a chasm neither can cross.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
29 Aug. 2025
-
Overgrown weeds, overhanging branches, litter, loud noises — all of these annoyances might come from your Milwaukee neighbor, but not every complaint should go to the same place.—
Quinn Clark,
jsonline.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gadflies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gadflies. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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