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 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
Edible insects in the form of wriggling maggots or hairy caterpillars are both delicacy and staple in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a central African nation of nearly 120 million people.
—Emmet Livingstone, NPR, 20 Sep. 2025
Neanderthals who lived in present-day Israel may have passed down local butchery techniques, and experiments indicated that late Pleistocene Neanderthals’ stable nitrogen-isotope ratios indicate not hypercarnivory but a diet rich in maggots.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
There were 16 live maggots on the floor of the kitchen.
—Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2025
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
Edible insects in the form of wriggling maggots or hairy caterpillars are both delicacy and staple in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a central African nation of nearly 120 million people.
—Emmet Livingstone, NPR, 20 Sep. 2025
Neanderthals who lived in present-day Israel may have passed down local butchery techniques, and experiments indicated that late Pleistocene Neanderthals’ stable nitrogen-isotope ratios indicate not hypercarnivory but a diet rich in maggots.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
There were 16 live maggots on the floor of the kitchen.
—Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maggots
Noun
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But Netanyahu was beholden for his political future to the radical minority that supported it, and constantly catered to their whims.—
Yair Rosenberg,
The Atlantic,
21 Oct. 2025
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Aside from anything else, supporter sentiment can be overwhelming; far more difficult to head off than the whims of journalists.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
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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
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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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But Interview With the Vampire set a precedent for transformative TV from the Immortal Universe, its narrative and visual audacity subverting adaptation tropes and genre storytelling by challenging viewers’ notions of immortality, sexuality, and destiny.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
25 Oct. 2025
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Contrary to the previous notions about our youth, their inherent power and unidentified skillsets could put them in a position to change their own lives, with the proper guidance.—
Essence,
Essence,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Maggots.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maggots. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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