as in nuisance
one who is obnoxiously annoying
the journalist was known as a gadfly for exposing hypocrisy in politics
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Recent Examples of gadfly
Their false claims about getting financially fleeced by Uncle Sam were fueled by a rather sophisticated, albeit deceitful and shameful lobbying campaign, sponsored by greedy gadflies out to make a quick buck.
—
Tom Margenau,
Dallas Morning News,
1 Feb. 2026
Among those present at the annual David Horowitz Freedom Center retreat in 2017 was a young Candace Owens, then striving to make her mark as a black conservative gadfly on social media.
—
Andrew Cockburn,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
As horse and rider approached the Olympian gates, Zeus sent a gadfly to sting Pegasus, who bolted and threw his rider.
—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
16 Nov. 2025
The truth teller/journalist/gadfly/detective set out to uncover the truth about the death of a member of a powerful Tulsa political family but must acknowledge how much harm his investigation has caused.
—
Kathryn Vanarendonk,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gadfly
Tom Margenau,
Dallas Morning News,
1 Feb. 2026
Among those present at the annual David Horowitz Freedom Center retreat in 2017 was a young Candace Owens, then striving to make her mark as a black conservative gadfly on social media.
—
Andrew Cockburn,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
As horse and rider approached the Olympian gates, Zeus sent a gadfly to sting Pegasus, who bolted and threw his rider.
—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
16 Nov. 2025
The truth teller/journalist/gadfly/detective set out to uncover the truth about the death of a member of a powerful Tulsa political family but must acknowledge how much harm his investigation has caused.
—
Kathryn Vanarendonk,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gadfly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gadfly
Noun
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And to add insult to social and cultural injury, the new policies also present a logistical nuisance.
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In New York, night clubs were sometimes regarded as a civic nuisance; one obstacle was the city’s cabaret law, from 1926, which required bars to obtain a special permit if patrons were dancing and was not fully repealed until 2017.
Noun
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Run a fan near seating and dining areas to keep flying pests off food and guests.
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Other reuses include pest control, landscaping, and winter chores.
Noun
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Friedland describes the ritual with the mixture of reverence and annoyance that marks many of his best observations.
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Game changer, annoyance, or something in between?
Cite this Entry
“Gadfly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gadfly. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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