as in dwarf
a person of no importance or influence
the magazine's editor in chief was notorious for treating staffers as insects, often not even bothering to learn their names
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of insect
Pest and wood-destroying insect evidence Missouri law restricts who can perform WDI inspections for real estate transactions to licensed and certified individuals.
—
Allison Palmer
updated February 19, Kansas City Star, 19 Feb. 2026
Sliding Door and Window Tracks Door and window tracks collect both indoor and outdoor grime, from dust and pollen to insects and their remnants.
—Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 19 Feb. 2026
From tiny insects like flies and butterflies at the edge of the frame, to large mountains, clouds full of rain, even great wrecking machines — everything is animated with precision and beauty.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 18 Feb. 2026
Seeds and insects on suburban lawns, irrigated campuses, parks and croplands have lured them northward to be one of North America’s successful bird species.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for insect
Allison Palmer
updated February 19, Kansas City Star, 19 Feb. 2026
Sliding Door and Window Tracks Door and window tracks collect both indoor and outdoor grime, from dust and pollen to insects and their remnants.
—Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 19 Feb. 2026
From tiny insects like flies and butterflies at the edge of the frame, to large mountains, clouds full of rain, even great wrecking machines — everything is animated with precision and beauty.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 18 Feb. 2026
Seeds and insects on suburban lawns, irrigated campuses, parks and croplands have lured them northward to be one of North America’s successful bird species.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for insect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insect
Noun
-
This dwarf variety produces slender, upright branches that, if left unpruned, put forth a graceful weeping habit.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
16 Feb. 2026
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Some others that would be affected include dwarf schefflera, dracaenas, begonias, ficus, philodendrons, aglaonemas and peace lilies.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Finally, Marilyn is not presented as a cipher to be solved or quarry to be caged.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Jan. 2026
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The Blind Owl is extremely dense, brimming with metaphors and ciphers and symbols.—
Amir Ahmadi Arian,
The Dial,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Seattle’s John Schneider and New England’s Eliot Wolf rose up from young nobodies to graduate from Green Bay Packers University, too.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Feb. 2026
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Many of Newsom’s critics who breathlessly report on his evil plans (that the left-wing mainstream media supposedly cover up) are just nobodies who feign authority and are obviously fronting for right-wing organizations.—
Dan Walters,
Oc Register,
16 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Single-density foam works well for standard impacts and keeps the helmet lightweight and affordable.—
Adam Trenkamp,
Outside,
16 Feb. 2026
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In the lightweights, Cash McClurg (108 pounds) and Emilio Escobar (120) won titles, the latter winning 21-5 for a technical fall.—
Breven Honda,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In late 2023, an 11-year-old boy was killed in Springfield after a van driven by a Haitian immigrant collided with his school bus, igniting long-simmering tensions within the city over the Haitians’ growing numbers.—
Caitlin Hu,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
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That number doubled the following year and six sprints have been held in each campaign since 2023.—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Insect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insect. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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