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
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
The eggs hatch into maggots, which then eat the flesh of the animal to survive, according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA).
—Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 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
Forensic entomologists from Glasgow analyzed the development of the maggots to estimate how long the body parts had been exposed at the site.
—Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2025
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
The eggs hatch into maggots, which then eat the flesh of the animal to survive, according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA).
—Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 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
Forensic entomologists from Glasgow analyzed the development of the maggots to estimate how long the body parts had been exposed at the site.
—Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 22 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
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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
-
This drought-tolerant beauty serves as a host plant to Pearl Crescent butterfly larvae, and its blooms support a diversity of specialized native bees.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Many are also ditching chemical fertilizers and designing gardens that support biodiversity, attracting pollinators like bees, butterflies, and birds.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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By 1974, though, many women had already discarded those notions as instruments of domination, psychic equivalents of the whalebone corset.—
James Marcus,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
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Pritam’s Partition writings offer incisive critiques of the barbarity that became life with borders but also contest notions of belonging from a feminist perspective.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Maggots.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maggots. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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