1
as in suckers
a person with a strong and habitual liking for something
a camera bug who loves taking candid shots at fairs and festivals
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in diseases
an abnormal state that disrupts a plant's or animal's normal bodily functioning
I can't go to work today because I've caught some bug that's going around
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in lunatics
a person having or showing a severely disordered or abnormal state of mind
a bug with a fascination for committing arson
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in annoys
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
these incessant phone calls are really starting to bug me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bothers
to thrust oneself upon (another) without invitation
I hate to bug you, but could you help me move this table?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of bugs
Peg Aloi, The Spruce, 7 Feb. 2026
Bodies were found throughout the building, some stacked on top of one another, with swarms of bugs and decomposition fluid covering the floors, investigators said.
—Jesse Bedayn, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
But that’s not how stomach bugs work, Carli explains.
—Kathleen Ferraro, Verywell Health, 6 Feb. 2026
Bodies were found throughout the building, some stacked on top of each other, with swarms of bugs and decomposition fluid covering the floors, investigators said.
—Maria Braganini, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
The agent handled design, development, testing, and iteration by repeatedly playing the game itself to identify missing features and bugs.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Feb. 2026
There were swarms of bugs and maggots.
—Jesse Bedayn, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026
Operating systems rely on this information to fix bugs, improve stability and protect against security threats.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 Feb. 2026
Preventing kissing bugs involves sealing cracks, repairing screens, and keeping outdoor areas tidy to reduce hiding spots.
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 30 Jan. 2026
Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 15 Jan. 2026
Check the head and base and foot of the bed, peeling back the top sheet to look for evidence on mattress covers, box springs, dust ruffles, and the headboard—and most importantly, the mattress seams and piping because bed bugs like to hide in cracks and crevices.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 25 Dec. 2025
Both can reduce debris or items that attract the boxelder bugs.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2025
At the end of the 19th century, Phylloxera bugs infected vineyards across Europe but a solution was found, and viticulture adapted and continued.
—Miguel A. Torres, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
The singer admitted that he bugs Brown and his son for constant updates on the baby girl.
—Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 28 Sep. 2025
Which bugs bite on the NC coast?
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 25 Sep. 2025
On average, the matador bugs increased their waving behavior seven times more in the presence of the predatory mantids.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 11 Sep. 2025
Fort Worth bed bugs The B-plot of Episode 7 has Peggy setting up a Little Free Library in her front yard in an effort to build community.
—Jake Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2025
Noun
Keep the Feeder Clean Keeping your hummingbird feeder clean, so that no liquid food is clinging to the surface, is a good way to deter ants (and other bugs like bees) from being attracted to it.
—Peg Aloi, The Spruce, 7 Feb. 2026
Bodies were found throughout the building, some stacked on top of one another, with swarms of bugs and decomposition fluid covering the floors, investigators said.
—Jesse Bedayn, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
But that’s not how stomach bugs work, Carli explains.
—Kathleen Ferraro, Verywell Health, 6 Feb. 2026
Bodies were found throughout the building, some stacked on top of each other, with swarms of bugs and decomposition fluid covering the floors, investigators said.
—Maria Braganini, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
The agent handled design, development, testing, and iteration by repeatedly playing the game itself to identify missing features and bugs.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Feb. 2026
There were swarms of bugs and maggots.
—Jesse Bedayn, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026
Operating systems rely on this information to fix bugs, improve stability and protect against security threats.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 Feb. 2026
Preventing kissing bugs involves sealing cracks, repairing screens, and keeping outdoor areas tidy to reduce hiding spots.
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
Travelers are advised to inspect hotel rooms upon arrival and use precautions like plastic bags or luggage liners to prevent bringing bed bugs home.
—Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 15 Jan. 2026
Check the head and base and foot of the bed, peeling back the top sheet to look for evidence on mattress covers, box springs, dust ruffles, and the headboard—and most importantly, the mattress seams and piping because bed bugs like to hide in cracks and crevices.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 25 Dec. 2025
Both can reduce debris or items that attract the boxelder bugs.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2025
At the end of the 19th century, Phylloxera bugs infected vineyards across Europe but a solution was found, and viticulture adapted and continued.
—Miguel A. Torres, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
The singer admitted that he bugs Brown and his son for constant updates on the baby girl.
—Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 28 Sep. 2025
Which bugs bite on the NC coast?
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 25 Sep. 2025
On average, the matador bugs increased their waving behavior seven times more in the presence of the predatory mantids.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 11 Sep. 2025
Fort Worth bed bugs The B-plot of Episode 7 has Peggy setting up a Little Free Library in her front yard in an effort to build community.
—Jake Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugs
Noun
-
To remove the suckers growing at the base of some viburnum species, cut them back at ground level.—
Luke Miller,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Feb. 2026
-
For a coach who thinks running the ball is for squares and suckers, that’s not exactly adapting one’s philosophy to fit your personnel.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Cassidy, a physician specializing in liver diseases and a vocal supporter of vaccination, had questioned Kennedy sharply in a hearing about his views on shots.—
Amanda Seitz,
NPR,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Smoking Like other lung diseases, like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), smoking or significant secondhand smoke exposure increases the risk of adult onset asthma.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Beating these lunatics was incredible, right?—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Shame on the leadership of Minnesota — and the lunatics in the street.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
One of its two young sibling protagonists, Amber (Bianca Belle), channels her feelings about the recent death of her mother into drawings of creatures born out of her troubled imagination, some of whom enact violence against the classmate who annoys her.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
1 Dec. 2025
-
There's just one thing about Claire Danes that annoys Matthew Rhys.—
Yamillah Hurtado,
PEOPLE,
22 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Most people are able to put the splint away once their plantar fasciitis no longer bothers them.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
6 Feb. 2026
-
That inward struggle made it to the surface because Glenn no longer bothers with charades.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Each year, millions of dog lovers tune in to the Puppy Bowl as a way to pregame the actual Super Bowl taking place that same Sunday, played by human athletes without tails.—
Stacia Datskovska,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Feb. 2026
-
The symphony, conducted by its music director Carolyn Kuan, is playing a ballet score by Prokofiev inspired by Shakespeare’s immortal drama about two young lovers from feuding families at the Belding Theater at The Bushnell, located at 166 Capitol Ave.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But the launch of a mass drug administration program has allowed the country to treat around 100 million people for NTDs annually since 2019, The END Fund found, with the disease burden for some illnesses reducing by as much as 72%.—
Paige Bruton,
semafor.com,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Now, those vaccines, which researchers estimate have prevented thousands of deaths and millions of illnesses, are recommended by the CDC only for children at high risk of serious illness or after consultation between doctors and parents.—
Amanda Seitz,
NPR,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Haunted Trail takes visitors outdoors through a path with dense fog and several haunting installations with zombies, a ghoul bus, a graveyard filled with ghosts, chainsaw maniacs and more.—
Ut Community Press,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bugs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugs. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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