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
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If data centers eventually are included, for example, neighbors could take a hit due to impacts on electricity costs, water access, industrial noise and other nuisances that can come into play when a megaproject moves in next door.—
David Greising,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
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Not all ants are bad for the garden—some help with soil health and pest control—but fire ants and carpenter ants can be serious nuisances or hazards.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The Northern Illinois Raptor Rehab and Education in Loves Park set up a display table featuring specimens and educational information about how birds control pests such as rodents and insects.—
Karie Angell Luc,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
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Major citations were issued in 33 instances in which rodents or other pests were detected where food was stored, prepared or served.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Despite the annoyances, the smile is genuine.—
Maxwell Adler,
Vanity Fair,
27 Apr. 2026
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Her examples highlight how a small, inexpensive tool — or in this case, a repurposed one — can solve minor annoyances throughout daily life.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Sacbee.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gadflies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gadflies. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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