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
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
Even better, marigolds repel cabbage maggots and nematodes2 and their flowers entice predatory insects to garden beds to keep pests in line.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Dec. 2025
Medflies can ruin more than 250 kinds of produce by infecting them with maggots.
—John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2025
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
Even better, marigolds repel cabbage maggots and nematodes2 and their flowers entice predatory insects to garden beds to keep pests in line.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Dec. 2025
Medflies can ruin more than 250 kinds of produce by infecting them with maggots.
—John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maggots
Noun
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With eight expiring contracts on their books, they were bound to see this volume of turnover — either under their control at the deadline or at the whims of players over the summer.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2026
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The island nation, vulnerable to the whims of the Atlantic, has officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Danish firm Wavepiston to turn those crashing swells into a 50 MW power source.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Graduate students and postdoctoral researchers are the worker bees of academia, toiling in labs for years in hopes of one day running their own hive.—
Jonathan Wosen,
STAT,
4 Feb. 2026
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Transplant it outdoors so the bees and butterflies can enjoy nectar from the tiny flowers.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Values to be tested Its obsession is also unusual in an industry prone to mission drift, where tech companies are founded on noble notions of improving humanity — before the obligations to investors take over.—
Parmy Olson,
Mercury News,
6 Feb. 2026
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There is also the eternal question of whether designers should create clothes for truly living in, or whether they should be encouraged to think big and present more complicated pieces that challenge everyday notions of style and taste.—
Kati Chitrakorn,
CNN Money,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Maggots.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maggots. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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