as in whims
a sudden impulsive and apparently unmotivated idea or action
the last maggot he got in his head resulted in a disastrous extramarital affair
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Recent Examples of maggots
Medflies can ruin more than 250 kinds of produce by infecting them with maggots.
—
John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2025
His fur was singed and bitten, his arm broken, and his mouth crawling with maggots.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
The establishment is required to find a new pest control service because of the ongoing problem with ants, maggots and roaches on the floor of the dish area.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Nov. 2025
Within an hour, those flies and other insects will lay eggs on the body, and the larvae − maggots, for the full horror-movie scenario − will then start to feed on that body.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025
On a recent day, more than 120 dogs, one cat and two monkeys were at the shelter, some of them abandoned, rescued from the streets due to aggressive behavior, or suffering from maggots or tick fever.
—Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 25 Oct. 2025
Those settlers managed to make an underground river with murderous maggots on unstable terrain into a tourist attraction in record time.
—Ann Patchett, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
Also look for screwworm larvae (maggots) and eggs in or around body openings, such as the nose, ears, and genitalia, or the navel of newborn animals.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 24 Sep. 2025
The early stage of the maggots means there is no possibility of fly emergence, Mexican authorities added.
—Clara Migoya, AZCentral.com, 23 Sep. 2025
John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2025
His fur was singed and bitten, his arm broken, and his mouth crawling with maggots.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
The establishment is required to find a new pest control service because of the ongoing problem with ants, maggots and roaches on the floor of the dish area.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Nov. 2025
Within an hour, those flies and other insects will lay eggs on the body, and the larvae − maggots, for the full horror-movie scenario − will then start to feed on that body.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025
On a recent day, more than 120 dogs, one cat and two monkeys were at the shelter, some of them abandoned, rescued from the streets due to aggressive behavior, or suffering from maggots or tick fever.
—Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 25 Oct. 2025
Those settlers managed to make an underground river with murderous maggots on unstable terrain into a tourist attraction in record time.
—Ann Patchett, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
Also look for screwworm larvae (maggots) and eggs in or around body openings, such as the nose, ears, and genitalia, or the navel of newborn animals.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 24 Sep. 2025
The early stage of the maggots means there is no possibility of fly emergence, Mexican authorities added.
—Clara Migoya, AZCentral.com, 23 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maggots
Noun
-
This new agency should get access to NWF dollars and not have to depend on political whims for its funding, as is the case now.—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
29 Oct. 2025
-
While 7 million people showed up for the No Kings protest earlier this month, Democrats still do not control any meaningful power in Washington; the Supreme Court, Congress, and the White House are all proven loyal to Trump’s whims.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Repair bare spots in the lawn to make your yard less hospitable for ground-nesting bees.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Held captive in a shadowy basement, Michelle’s ordeal blurs the line between paranoia and revelation on Teddy’s remote ranch, where his hive of bees becomes a haunting metaphor for control.—
Tiana DeNicola,
Variety,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
In these ways, Puerto Rican Muslims remind me that notions of community, identity or justice do not stand on their own.—
Ken Chitwood,
The Conversation,
5 Nov. 2025
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Established in 2023, the biennial prize is given in recognition of next-gen multidisciplinary artists working at the intersection of art, media, and technology to explore notions of futurity and transformation.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Maggots.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maggots. Accessed 20 Nov. 2025.
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