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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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
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
  • Once an avid Pilates goer, Beretti struggles to go up the stairs and can no longer run or jump.
    — Ella Moore July 23, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026
  • Funding is also a problem, as the severely degraded local health system in eastern Congo, as well as NGOs, struggles to cope as Ebola spreads in remote rural areas.
    — Emmet Livingstone, NPR, 23 July 2026
Definition of struggles
Verb
  • Like Lonnie, who strives to be the best golfer in the world, Pelican Hill is widely considered one of the world’s premier luxury resorts.
    — Dana Feldman, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • Hoy said the detention staff consistently strives to exceed the minimum standards given by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards.
    — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 July 2026
Definition of strives
Verb
  • This helps ensure the liner follows your actual eye shape instead of an angle that only works when your lid is closed.
    — Marci Robin, Allure, 24 July 2026
  • Both approaches combine weather and climate data, physical understanding of how the climate system works, and computer models.
    — Deepti Singh, The Conversation, 24 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)
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Cite this Entry

“Grubs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grubs. Accessed 30 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of grubs for Spanish Speakers

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