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
Also trailing on the ballot were Jack Potter and political gadfly Margaret Carrasco.
—
Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025
This is an aberration of progressivism — the flip side of beleaguered social media gadfly Andy Ngo, the independent muckraker who exposes mainstream media’s protection of Antifa.
—Armond White, National Review, 5 Feb. 2025
Like any gadfly, Kennedy’s willingness to challenge institutions and conventional wisdom has sometimes led him to question things that needed questioning, not least during the Covid era’s riot of hubris and deceit in the public health sector.
—The Editors, National Review, 29 Jan. 2025
Keith Turner, along with political gadfly Margaret Carrasco, filed objections to her candidacy petitions last month.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gadfly
Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025
This is an aberration of progressivism — the flip side of beleaguered social media gadfly Andy Ngo, the independent muckraker who exposes mainstream media’s protection of Antifa.
—Armond White, National Review, 5 Feb. 2025
Like any gadfly, Kennedy’s willingness to challenge institutions and conventional wisdom has sometimes led him to question things that needed questioning, not least during the Covid era’s riot of hubris and deceit in the public health sector.
—The Editors, National Review, 29 Jan. 2025
Keith Turner, along with political gadfly Margaret Carrasco, filed objections to her candidacy petitions last month.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gadfly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gadfly
Noun
-
Neighbors call in concerned about true nuisances that could affect the enjoyment of their private property.—
Andrew Wimer,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
-
Angry residents would sabotage the robotaxis with the help of traffic cones, while the city’s fire department chief herself would regularly malign them as a dangerous nuisance.—
Christiaan Hetzner,
Fortune,
22 June 2025
Noun
-
According to Orkin, the pest control company, scorpions come indoors in search of food.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
6 July 2025
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Using a mosquito 'bucket of doom' is much cheaper than getting a pest control service to come fog or spray your yard.—
Elliott Harrell,
Southern Living,
4 July 2025
Noun
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To the gag order and constant annoyance with any attention the case gets.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 July 2025
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This means that the auditoriums and school gyms and other places where these workers pull long days should be properly air conditioned and stocked with fans, water, ice, electrolyte solutions, and whatever else is needed to ensure the heat remains more of an annoyance than a lethal danger.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gadfly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gadfly. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
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