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
Basil tends to repel flies and maggots, and marigolds do as well.
—
Haniya Rae, Martha Stewart, 12 Mar. 2026
Their eggs, laid in open wounds or on mucous membranes, would then not hatch into the flesh-eating maggots that can infest livestock, wild mammals, household pets and even humans.
—John Hanna, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
Victims can develop large open wounds covered in maggots.
—Bloomberg Wire, Dallas Morning News, 7 Feb. 2026
The veteran’s body was discovered in the Penrose building, covered in maggots.
—Jesse Bedayn, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026
That may require surgery if the maggots are deeply embedded.
—Alix Martichoux, The Hill, 21 Jan. 2026
Eventually, the Afflecks gave in when maggots started appearing in the apartment.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
To test if maggots could spike those isotope levels, the researchers analyzed fly larvae feeding on decomposing human muscle tissue.
—Jay Kakade
december 31, New Atlas, 31 Dec. 2025
Even better, marigolds repel cabbage maggots and nematodes2 and their flowers entice predatory insects to garden beds to keep pests in line.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Dec. 2025
Haniya Rae, Martha Stewart, 12 Mar. 2026
Their eggs, laid in open wounds or on mucous membranes, would then not hatch into the flesh-eating maggots that can infest livestock, wild mammals, household pets and even humans.
—John Hanna, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
Victims can develop large open wounds covered in maggots.
—Bloomberg Wire, Dallas Morning News, 7 Feb. 2026
The veteran’s body was discovered in the Penrose building, covered in maggots.
—Jesse Bedayn, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026
That may require surgery if the maggots are deeply embedded.
—Alix Martichoux, The Hill, 21 Jan. 2026
Eventually, the Afflecks gave in when maggots started appearing in the apartment.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
To test if maggots could spike those isotope levels, the researchers analyzed fly larvae feeding on decomposing human muscle tissue.
—Jay Kakade
december 31, New Atlas, 31 Dec. 2025
Even better, marigolds repel cabbage maggots and nematodes2 and their flowers entice predatory insects to garden beds to keep pests in line.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maggots
Noun
-
To avoid overspending, keep your long-term comfort higher in your thoughts than any short-term whims.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Mar. 2026
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Ostensibly an effort to recenter the female perspective in some of the most famous tales from the Book of Genesis, the three-part event miniseries instead treats its characters like paper dolls to be pushed around at the whims of a narrative set in stone millennia ago.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The flowers also provide pollen-rich flowers to attract native bees, small birds and butterflies.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
24 Mar. 2026
-
These are specially designed to attract and support creatures like bees, butterflies and other pollinators.—
Lesly Gregory,
AJC.com,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Nearly 100 years later, her predecessor, present-day Schiaparelli creative director Daniel Roseberry, has picked up her mantle, combining thrilling design with the machinery of celebrity to change our notions of female beauty and power.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2026
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Calculus relies on the notions of infinity and infinitely small quantities (called infinitesimals), but Newton and Leibniz defined these concepts in vague geometric terms; used incorrectly, their formulas could lead to nonsensical calculations, like division by zero.—
Leila Sloman,
Quanta Magazine,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Maggots.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maggots. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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