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
City Hall is a raw stage for democracy: scholars with binders, neighbors with gripes, gadflies with grievances sharpened to a point.
—
Eric Preven, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 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
Douglas Miller is a long-time attorney and real estate industry gadfly who instigated the first of the commission lawsuits filed starting in 2019 against big brokerages and the National Association of Realtors, one of the largest professional lobby groups in the country.
—Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gadfly
Eric Preven, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 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
Douglas Miller is a long-time attorney and real estate industry gadfly who instigated the first of the commission lawsuits filed starting in 2019 against big brokerages and the National Association of Realtors, one of the largest professional lobby groups in the country.
—Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gadfly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gadfly
Noun
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If fruit flies are a minor nuisance, BHG home pros recommend these strategies to get rid of fruit flies.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
30 Jan. 2026
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As a recent Forbes Finance Council analysis argues, regulation is not a nuisance to be worked around but a moat to be built—one that rewards fintechs willing to trade short-term speed for long-term trust and defensibility.—
Geri Stengel,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Its gritty texture helps repel pests like slugs and snails from your garden.—
Natalia Gonzalez Blanco Serrano,
The Spruce,
25 Jan. 2026
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Clean Up Indoor Clutter Removing clutter is essential for successful at-home pest and rodent control.—
Rae Ford,
Martha Stewart,
25 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Apple has been working to eliminate the inner screen’s visible crease, a longtime annoyance of the category.—
Chris Welch,
Bloomberg,
27 Jan. 2026
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That said, your annoyance is also valid.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gadfly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gadfly. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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