as in nuisance
one who is obnoxiously annoying
the journalist was known as a gadfly for exposing hypocrisy in politics
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gadfly
The night began with an interruption from Paperboy Prince, the activist and perennial gadfly candidate, who hijacked the stage wearing clown makeup and white gloves.
—
Eric Lach, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
Lowe is a longtime Big Tech gadfly who pushed for antitrust action against Google for years in his previous role at Yelp.
—Ashley Gold, Axios, 2 Apr. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for gadfly
Eric Lach, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
Lowe is a longtime Big Tech gadfly who pushed for antitrust action against Google for years in his previous role at Yelp.
—Ashley Gold, Axios, 2 Apr. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for gadfly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gadfly
Noun
-
Last month, Los Angeles city officials declared these properties a public nuisance because of their failure to take action to clean up debris.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 July 2025
-
The cicadas swarming in and around Cincinnati can be a nuisance.—
Chad Murphy,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
Other flowering plants, like yarrow and sweet alyssum, reduce pest issues by attracting beneficial insects that feed on veggie pests.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 July 2025
-
Spruce, while good for snow-heavy regions like the Alps, are ill-suited to Germany's climate and susceptible to pests like bark beetles when weakened by heat.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
13 July 2025
Noun
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Most concerning: The Royals’ lineup is far past the point of frustration and teetering toward pure annoyance for those at The K. Here is how Saturday’s scenario played out.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
13 July 2025
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Don’t think, just play Despite its minor annoyances, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 lives up to the hype and should be a day-one treat for gamers worldwide.—
Matt Gardner,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gadfly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gadfly. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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