as in whims
a sudden impulsive and apparently unmotivated idea or action
the last maggot he got in his head resulted in a disastrous extramarital affair
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of maggots
Symptoms include seeing or feeling maggots move within a skin wound or sore, or in the ears, nose, eyes or mouth.
—
Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Basil tends to repel flies and maggots, and marigolds do as well.
—Haniya Rae, Martha Stewart, 12 Mar. 2026
Their eggs, laid in open wounds or on mucous membranes, would then not hatch into the flesh-eating maggots that can infest livestock, wild mammals, household pets and even humans.
—John Hanna, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
Victims can develop large open wounds covered in maggots.
—Bloomberg Wire, Dallas Morning News, 7 Feb. 2026
The veteran’s body was discovered in the Penrose building, covered in maggots.
—Jesse Bedayn, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026
That may require surgery if the maggots are deeply embedded.
—Alix Martichoux, The Hill, 21 Jan. 2026
Eventually, the Afflecks gave in when maggots started appearing in the apartment.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
Since some Indigenous tribes from the Arctic and subarctic are known to eat maggots from putrefied meat, the researchers considered maggots a potential factor driving those isotope spikes.
—Jay Kakade
december 31, New Atlas, 31 Dec. 2025
Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Basil tends to repel flies and maggots, and marigolds do as well.
—Haniya Rae, Martha Stewart, 12 Mar. 2026
Their eggs, laid in open wounds or on mucous membranes, would then not hatch into the flesh-eating maggots that can infest livestock, wild mammals, household pets and even humans.
—John Hanna, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
Victims can develop large open wounds covered in maggots.
—Bloomberg Wire, Dallas Morning News, 7 Feb. 2026
The veteran’s body was discovered in the Penrose building, covered in maggots.
—Jesse Bedayn, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026
That may require surgery if the maggots are deeply embedded.
—Alix Martichoux, The Hill, 21 Jan. 2026
Eventually, the Afflecks gave in when maggots started appearing in the apartment.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
Since some Indigenous tribes from the Arctic and subarctic are known to eat maggots from putrefied meat, the researchers considered maggots a potential factor driving those isotope spikes.
—Jay Kakade
december 31, New Atlas, 31 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maggots
Noun
-
Every deportation should be based on immigration law, not the whims of ICE nor those of the president.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Uniting best practices in public health and offering further support and coordination to the community violence intervention community, an office would serve as a Chicago department with a set strategy that would not change according to political winds or mayoral whims.—
Michael Pfleger,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds For a softer color palette in your spring and summer garden, cornflowers skew more toward the blue, purple, and pale pink end of the spectrum.—
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Booth visitors will be able to smell and look at plants from the Theodore Payne Foundation and learn how native plants can not only save water but also support local wildlife such as bees, birds and monarch butterflies.—
Lisa Boone,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Advice or even just notions—only check email after noon; never do 10 reps of crunches—solidify into absolutism or vanish.—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
31 Mar. 2026
-
For years, Ye had been obsessed with notions of Jewish villainy, while also identifying himself with Adolf Hitler and Nazis.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Maggots.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maggots. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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