grubs 1 of 2

Definition of grubsnext
plural of grub
as in laborers
a person who does very hard or dull work you may have to spend some time working as a grub before challenging work comes your way

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

grubs

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of grub

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of grubs
Noun
Warmer temperatures due to climate change might be affecting grubs, said Fyffe, who is seeing more uncommon arthropods like black widow spiders in Chicago than in past years. Laura Turbay, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026 Natural Products Harlow-Ellis says one natural product that helps control grubs is milky spore powder. Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 9 Mar. 2026 The weevil’s young (grubs) eat the roots, turning them into a stinky, liquid mash. Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2026 Lady beetles, fireflies, and wasps prey upon and control common garden pests, such as aphids and grubs. Anne Readel, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Mar. 2026 As soil temperatures warm up in spring, the grubs move up towards the soil surface to start feeding on the root zone of plants. Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 1 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grubs
Noun
  • In 2024, only 18% of construction laborers and 8% of retail workers in California were represented by a union.
    Nicole Macias Garibay, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Both were huge sums at a time when male farm laborers might make about 28 pounds annually if employed year-round.
    Will Glovinsky, The Conversation, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Every man and woman who labors in the construction industry deserves that.
    Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The union and workers agreed to return to work after the company agreed to return for two days of face-to-face contract negotiations beginning April 9.
    Logan Smith, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2026
  • Seven months later, just eleven kilometres from the coral garden, a blowout on BP’s Deepwater Horizon drilling rig caused an explosion that killed eleven workers and sent oil gushing up from the seafloor.
    Jeffrey Marlow, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Most important for companies considering replacing patches of their workforce with AI, the MIT data suggests AI struggles to perform more complicated tasks.
    Tristan Bove, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026
  • Peet plays a therapist who struggles with her own mental health and the health and familial changes that occur during midlife.
    Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • In a world of jaded billionaires, psychiatrist-gurus, bio-hacked tech bros, AI labs and disillusioned teens being optimized in elite private schools, an audacious data-mining CEO (Magnussen) strives to turn insight and influence into profit and power.
    Peter White, Deadline, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Castlery is a direct-to-consumer furniture brand that strives to offer high-end and well-made yet fairly affordable furniture, and the Desmond chair is a testament to that.
    Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The receptionist works behind a period cabinet converted into the sort of desk Philip Marlowe would happily put his feet on and Art Deco ornamentations abound, from the beautiful clocks, to the slightly sinister candlesticks.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
  • The acidic composition of white vinegar works efficiently to break down the film that can accumulate on your windows.
    Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Grubs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grubs. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

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