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
Their false claims about getting financially fleeced by Uncle Sam were fueled by a rather sophisticated, albeit deceitful and shameful lobbying campaign, sponsored by greedy gadflies out to make a quick buck.
—
Tom Margenau, Dallas Morning News, 1 Feb. 2026
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
Tom Margenau, Dallas Morning News, 1 Feb. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gadflies
Noun
-
Barry said the new penalties are being enacted to coincide with the town’s passage of new rules dealing with nuisances and stormwater issues.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Jody Allen should not appear on a list of the NFL’s biggest nuisances.—
Jerry Brewer,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Sunflowers Sunflowers can be helpful and beautiful barrier plants set at the edges of a vegetable plot to attract beneficial pollinators and keep some pests at bay.—
Gemma Johnstone,
The Spruce,
4 Feb. 2026
-
However, any influx of pests may be cause for concern.—
Rae Ford,
Martha Stewart,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Cold-weather conditions can be a unique challenge even for the most meticulous cleaner, but a few adjustments can help prevent minor annoyances from becoming persistent problems.—
Katie Cloyd,
Martha Stewart,
4 Feb. 2026
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Congress used to debate authorizing such things, but with the GOP House and Senate now reduced to glorified White House staff offices, Trump need not trifle with such annoyances.—
Tom Nichols,
The Atlantic,
2 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gadflies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gadflies. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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