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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
Moles are solitary insectivores that eat earthworms and grubs to fuel their high energy needs. — Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 20 July 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 Here are some tips from the Plant Clinic for coping with Japanese beetles and grubs. — Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grubs
  1. laborers
  2. labors
  3. workers
  4. struggles
  5. strives
  6. works
  7. slaves
Noun
  • Lines spill down the block after prayer, with laborers and millionaires alike waiting to pair it with two-riyal fava beans from the fawal, or cafeteria, beside the bakery.
    — Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 29 July 2026
  • Part of the promise of pro-worker AI is to create new tasks, which in many cases will demand that laborers learn new skills.
    — Daron Acemoglu, The Atlantic, 28 July 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
  • City inspectors soon found site safety issues, including workers who were operating machinery without proper certification and an unpermitted supported scaffold in use, according to the Department of Buildings.
    — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
  • The talent drain is only expected to intensify as older workers and managers age out of their present roles.
    — Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of workers
Verb
  • Missile salvos and militia attacks have choked key shipping lanes, damaged Saudi oil facilities and driven up global prices even as fragile diplomacy struggles to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and avert escalation.
    — Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026
  • The film follows a young man who struggles to balance his mental problems, medication, and drugs with his musical ambitions.
    — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 30 July 2026
Definition of struggles
Verb
  • At the time, the organization, which typically strives to have four days worth of blood on hand, only had two, according to Kristin Connor, Vitalant’s northern California communications manager.
    — Velvet Wu July 29, Sacbee.com, 29 July 2026
  • China is closing the satellite gap with the US, as Beijing strives to supplant Washington as the world’s leading space power.
    — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of strives
Verb
  • Connor, meanwhile, reportedly works as a DJ and is based in Florida.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 31 July 2026
  • Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice is a nonprofit organization that works with congregations throughout Southern California to support workers’ rights.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 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)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Grubs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grubs. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on grubs

Nglish: Translation of grubs for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul. 31

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All