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
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
Renewable energy advocates treat activists like Gilbert as relentless gadflies who need to be stopped for the good of the planet.
—Tony Schick, ProPublica, 14 Aug. 2025
Doubling as an account of modern American conservatism (from media gadflies to six Supreme Court justices), the film is punctuated with contemporaneous footage that, viewed through the lens of Olin’s misdeeds, generates the tension and shock of a genre film.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gadfly
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
Renewable energy advocates treat activists like Gilbert as relentless gadflies who need to be stopped for the good of the planet.
—Tony Schick, ProPublica, 14 Aug. 2025
Doubling as an account of modern American conservatism (from media gadflies to six Supreme Court justices), the film is punctuated with contemporaneous footage that, viewed through the lens of Olin’s misdeeds, generates the tension and shock of a genre film.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gadfly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gadfly
Noun
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The site fell into neglect and became a blighted public nuisance.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
3 Apr. 2026
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The company could face even more penalties in a second phase of the trial set to start in May, over whether Meta created a public nuisance.—
Shannon Bond,
NPR,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This system allows fungi to transfer nutrients like carbon and nitrogen between trees and even send chemical signals that warn plants of pests or stress.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
30 Mar. 2026
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The only way to get rid of bed bugs is to call a pest control professional.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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What This Means for South Florida’s Outdoor Diners For the millions of residents and visitors who eat outdoors along South Florida’s coast each year, the research reframes a familiar annoyance.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
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In order to make sure horses keep their cool among loud, unpredictable crowds, officers do desensitization training with speakers, sirens, inflatable tube men, kazoos, fireworks, flags and all manner of annoyances.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gadfly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gadfly. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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