maggots

noun

plural of maggot
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 maggots The Medfly targets more than 250 types of fruits and vegetables by laying eggs inside them that hatch into maggots, which make the produce inedible. — Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 24 July 2026 If any maggots fall to the ground, they should not be discarded in the trash, as this could spread the infestation. — Shiv Sudhakar, FOXNews.com, 14 July 2026 One implant the Food and Drug Administration will not allow is maggots. — Kyle Devine, Longreads, 14 July 2026 Pet owners should look for any maggots or movement in a wound. — John Hanna, Fortune, 8 July 2026 As The Traitors' host, Cumming oversees a hodgepodge of reality stars and C-list celebrities who partake in a series of challenges ranging from goofy to downright harrowing — that season 2 cabin of maggots! — Sara Netzley, Entertainment Weekly, 2 July 2026 Some vets may not be able to distinguish maggots of other species from screwworm larvae. — Alice Park, Time, 2 July 2026 In Texas, ranchers are bracing for an onslaught of screwworms, the flesh-eating maggots of blowflies. — Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 29 June 2026 The telltale signs of a screwworm infection are the growing wounds or lesions and the presence of feeding maggots on living animals. — Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 29 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maggots
  1. whims
  2. bees
  3. notions
Noun
  • Google has therefore tied the ability to distribute Android apps to the whims of the US Treasury Department, which maintains and enforces economic sanctions.
    — Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026
  • The difference between security agencies in democracies and secret-police forces is that the former have to obey laws and not just follow the whims of the head of state.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026
Definition of whims
Noun
  • The flowers, bold yellow, are visited by bees, butterflies and birds while the rest of the surrounding wildlife wait for the petals to wilt and the seeds to drop, said Jackson County’s Deputy Director of Park Operations Tina Spallo.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 27 July 2026
  • If nothing else, marigolds will attract pollinators like bees and butterflies to your garden.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 27 July 2026
Definition of bees
Noun
  • Her work examines fashion as a cultural and ideological system, with a focus on copying, repetition, and reuse as critical and pedagogical strategies to question dominant notions of originality and value.
    — Vogue, Vogue, 30 July 2026
  • Preconceived notions about eating disorders − including the false belief that patients need to be emaciated to be diagnosed − can sometimes prevent parents from recognizing their own struggles.
    — Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 27 July 2026
Definition of notions

Browse Nearby Words

maggot
maggots
magi
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Maggots.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maggots. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on maggots

Nglish: Translation of maggots for Spanish Speakers

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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All