insectivore

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 insectivore Moreover, in every case, the ancestors were either insectivores or carnivores, with insect-eaters making the shift about three times more often than carnivores. Rupendra Brahambhatt, ArsTechnica, 20 Aug. 2025 Belonging to the same group of mammals as sloths and anteaters, armadillos are voracious insectivores that eat large numbers of beetles, grubs, ants, termites, and other insects, grabbing them with their sticky tongues. Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 18 July 2025 The lemurs and tenrecs of Madagascar, for example, are descended from primates and insectivores that used to be much more widespread. Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 June 2025 This tiny insectivore has an exceptionally fast metabolism, demanding near-constant feeding to survive. Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 15 Mar. 2025 Among the species declines that have led to billions fewer birds in North America over the last half-century, grassland birds and aerial insectivores have been hit especially hard, having lost many bugs that once fed them. Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 22 Sep. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insectivore
Noun
  • Ornithomimosaurs were likely not strictly carnivores, but rather omnivores or herbivores, Nau said.
    Lauren Liebhaber September 22, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2025
  • Wild mammals and birds, both herbivores and carnivores, generally got smaller as human populations expanded, landscapes became more fragmented and hunting pressure increased.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Interestingly, that adds to the believability as the animals appear even more real and emotions come across even stronger.
    Rick Mauch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Sep. 2025
  • In addition, humans can contract Ebola from hunting, handling or eating infected animals such as bats, monkeys and antelope.
    Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Card-carrying herbivores, seed-eaters, and omnivores switched to a cicada-heavy diet during a brood emergence in Washington, D.C., in 2021, according to Martha Weiss, a professor of biology at George Washington University.
    Sarah Henry, The Courier-Journal, 8 July 2025
  • But slugs can be beneficial omnivores that feed on algae, fungi, decomposing organic matter and plants.
    Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 July 2025
Noun
  • Then, in February, the 10-day Carnival fills the streets with music, parades, and inventive costumes featuring giant handmade masks that represent fearsome creatures, which scare away winter spirits, or joyful beings celebrating their retreat, dating back to ancient pagan customs.
    AFAR Media, AFAR Media, 24 Sep. 2025
  • The comic told of a group of girls at a scout camp that is surrounded by supernatural occurrences and creatures.
    Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 24 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • At the time, officials concluded that a few mussels likely hitched a ride on a boat that had been in another infested area, most probably one of the Great Lakes in the Midwest, which are crawling with the critters.
    Shaun McKinnon, AZCentral.com, 23 Sep. 2025
  • Unusual pet behavior, such as excessive barking or pawing in a particular area of the house, is a sign that an unwelcome critter may have moved in.
    Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • My favorite Maginot menagerie beastie remains the multi-eyed crawling eyeball, who in this episode takes up residence within the eye socket of a Prodigy lab goat.
    Noel Murray, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2025
  • Most of the remaining beasties now live on remote islands near the equator, and most humans would conveniently like to forget them.
    Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 30 June 2025
Noun
  • Shop Deli Gifts 11 Dead on I-80 in 2009 National Cowboy Poetry Gathering—Find out what rhymes with varmint!
    Megan Cummins August 5, Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2025
  • Another disadvantage: Adding banana peels directly to the soil may attract unwelcome varmints.
    Marin Independent Journal, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • This could include, but is not limited to, major vermin contamination.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 26 Sep. 2025
  • City inspectors visited the Yorba about three weeks ago and found a leaky roof, collapsing ceilings on the third and fourth floors and an infestation of insects and vermin, according to Arthur Rushin, chief enforcement officer for Detroit's Building Safety, Engineering & Environmental Department.
    JC Reindl, Freep.com, 22 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Insectivore.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insectivore. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on insectivore

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!