as in nuisance
one who is obnoxiously annoying
the journalist was known as a gadfly for exposing hypocrisy in politics
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Recent Examples of gadfly
As horse and rider approached the Olympian gates, Zeus sent a gadfly to sting Pegasus, who bolted and threw his rider.
—
Joe Rao, Space.com, 16 Nov. 2025
The truth teller/journalist/gadfly/detective set out to uncover the truth about the death of a member of a powerful Tulsa political family but must acknowledge how much harm his investigation has caused.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for gadfly
Joe Rao, Space.com, 16 Nov. 2025
The truth teller/journalist/gadfly/detective set out to uncover the truth about the death of a member of a powerful Tulsa political family but must acknowledge how much harm his investigation has caused.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for gadfly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gadfly
Noun
-
Reasons to Grow Moss in Your Garden Some gardeners consider moss a nuisance to be eradicated from their yards.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Two days later, legislators took up the Public Nuisance Reform Act, which proposes narrowing the definition of what could be considered a nuisance.—
Abrahm Lustgarten,
ProPublica,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This can be a contaminating breeding ground if there were to be leaks that damage packaging, or an invitation for pests to munch on your items before you.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
12 Apr. 2026
-
One garden pest who can’t handle copper pennies?—
Alexandra Kelly,
Martha Stewart,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
To be sure, there can be annoyances.—
Jennifer Ludden,
NPR,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Chronic snoring goes beyond annoyance.—
Allison Palmer,
Sacbee.com,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gadfly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gadfly. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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