as in whim
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 maggot
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
See All Example Sentences for maggot
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
See All Example Sentences for maggot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maggot
Noun
-
Unlike the reception or other pre-wedding events that feature traditional elements like speeches or cake cutting, the after-party is a celebration that can be crafted entirely according to the whims of the couple.—
Shelby Wax,
Vogue,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Still, one of the goals of the legislation, at least in theory, is for affordable-housing development to rely less on the whims of individual politicians.—
Kim Velsey,
Curbed,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
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
-
The small flowers provide an important source of nectar for butterflies, bees, and numerous other beneficial insects.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
27 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Maggot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maggot. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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