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
In podcasting, for example, so many writers or social media gadflies publish the Best Of List as a recycled version of the Top Ten podcasts ranked by downloads.
—
Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
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
Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gadflies
Noun
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For buyers whose lives are otherwise optimized to the point of abstraction, taking on those tangible nuisances can feel almost noble.—
Spencer Elliott,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2026
-
Japanese beetles and slugs are pesky nuisances that will go after the basil in your garden.—
Heather Bien,
Southern Living,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
This portable option uses the same isobutane canisters recommended for high-efficiency backpacking stoves to keep a small camp free from pests.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
3 June 2026
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Step two, if pests still show up, is traps and baits.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
3 June 2026
Noun
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The best affordable pet products are ones that solve everyday annoyances—like odor, shedding, scratch damage, messy mealtimes or anxious behaviors.—
Kasey Caminiti,
USA Today,
25 May 2026
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Snap Layouts make multitasking cleaner, virtual desktops help organize projects, and improved search and voice typing tools cut down on little daily annoyances.—
StackCommerce Team,
PC Magazine,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gadflies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gadflies. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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