Recent Examples on the WebFruit flies are a particularly pesky problem in the Southern heat and humidity, and the same goes for most other winged insects, including regular flies, gnats, and mosquitoes, too.—Stephanie Osmanski, Southern Living, 14 May 2024 During another federal monitor inspection, visitors found unsanitary conditions including live roaches, ants, water bugs, fruit flies, gnats, and mouse droppings.—Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 9 May 2024 Native predators will take care of the gnats for you.—Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 May 2024 Meanwhile, some potting soils for indoor plants are designed to reduce the prevalence of gnats and other pests that can often plague houseplants.—Renee Freemon Mulvihill, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 May 2024 Legions of insects have evolved to help native plants with long-distance reproduction, including butterflies, moths, beetles, flies, midges and gnats.—Andrew Van Dam, Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2024 Safer Home Indoor Plug-In Fly Traps $18 $13 More than 5,000 shoppers have added this plug-in fly trap to their cart in the last month and that’s because with seed season, unfortunately, comes gnat season.—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Mar. 2024 Discoloration, sticky leaves, webbing, or small gnats hiding in the soil are all signs to pass on the plant.—Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 20 Mar. 2024 From the dry cleaner’s to the stationery store, from Zabar’s to Barney Greengrass, Chloe pursues the siblings, as pesky and insistent as a gnat.—The New Yorker, 31 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gnat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Old English gnætt; akin to Old English gnagan to gnaw
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of gnat was
before the 12th century
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