grubs 1 of 2

noun

plural of grub
as in laborers
a person who does very hard or dull work you may have to spend some time working as a grub before challenging work comes your way

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

grubs

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of grub
as in labors
to devote serious and sustained effort grubbing away at the yard work before the first snow of the season

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of grubs
Noun
Their diet consists primarily of insects and other soil-dwelling creatures, including earthworms and grubs. — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 5 Aug. 2026 The presence of grubs indicates that the ecosystem is out of balance, says Brian Daubenspeck, a farmer and mentor at The Soil Food Web School. — Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 11 July 2026 Japanese beetles suddenly emerge mid-summer as the grubs become adults. — Alora Bopray, USA Today, 6 July 2026 Many birds subsist on bugs, including grubs, earthworms, and flying insects. — The Spruce, 5 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grubs
  1. laborers
  2. labors
  3. workers
  4. struggles
  5. strives
  6. works
  7. slaves
Noun
  • In Jordan, work and residency permits for migrant laborers are linked to a sponsor, usually the employer, under kafala.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Gutter length and size Materials are typically priced per linear foot, and more gutters mean more work for laborers, too.
    — Nick Perry, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of laborers
Verb
  • Every man and woman who labors in the construction industry deserves that.
    — Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 5 Mar. 2026
Definition of labors
Noun
  • The aid workers who once regularly visited her village to help pregnant women had stopped coming, after foreign aid cuts by the United States shuttered a program aimed at saving mothers’ and babies’ lives.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The idea is for tech workers to live and work in the same building.
    — John Ramos, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of workers
Verb
  • Don’t wait until a leader is tapped on the shoulder to take a top job only to realize the leader struggles with collaboration or lacks executive presence.
    — Roberta Matuson, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Only the collision between Manette, Darnay and Carton unleashes a complex love triangle as both men fight for her love and Manette struggles over whom to choose.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of struggles
Verb
  • Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum ruled out fracking in a key basin, citing danger to nearby water tables and indigenous communities — a move that highlights her political balancing act as the country strives to wean off US energy.
    — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Kaitlyn means a great deal to Joe, and what Kaitlyn stands for is what Joe strives to stand for.
    — Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of strives
Verb
  • Choose the size that works best for your home, all available in two-packs.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
  • For a series built around the unsettling idea of collective perfection, Pluribus works because each department thrived in the chaos of creation.
    — Deadline, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of works
Verb
  • Things are equally akilter in his family’s home, with his mother now sitting on the couch watching TV while his father slaves away in the kitchen.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Definition of slaves

Browse Nearby Words

grubby
grubs
grubs (about)
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Cite this Entry

“Grubs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grubs. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of grubs for Spanish Speakers

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