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
Like any gadfly, Kennedy’s willingness to challenge institutions and conventional wisdom has sometimes led him to question things that needed questioning, not least during the Covid era’s riot of hubris and deceit in the public health sector.
—
The Editors, National Review, 29 Jan. 2025
Keith Turner, along with political gadfly Margaret Carrasco, filed objections to her candidacy petitions last month.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2025
When Zeus took a liking to princess Io, Hera turned her into a heifer, then sent a gadfly – like a horse fly – to sting her constantly.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 20 Jan. 2025
Also trailing on the ballot were Jack Potter and political gadfly Margaret Carrasco.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gadfly
The Editors, National Review, 29 Jan. 2025
Keith Turner, along with political gadfly Margaret Carrasco, filed objections to her candidacy petitions last month.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2025
When Zeus took a liking to princess Io, Hera turned her into a heifer, then sent a gadfly – like a horse fly – to sting her constantly.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 20 Jan. 2025
Also trailing on the ballot were Jack Potter and political gadfly Margaret Carrasco.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gadfly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gadfly
Noun
-
And these types of messages go beyond being a mere nuisance.—
Alana Wise,
NPR,
24 May 2025
-
In 2011, the Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit brought by a group of states (including California) against a number of power companies, claiming that greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel generated electricity were a public nuisance under federal law.—
Josiah Neeley,
Oc Register,
21 May 2025
Noun
-
This perennial prairie native thrives in poor soil and summer heat, tolerating drought, deer, and pests.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
18 May 2025
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Corteva supplies farmers with products for pest and disease control, as well as seeds, livestock feed and nutrient maximizers, which help stabilize nitrogen levels in the soil.—
Brett Owens,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2025
Noun
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Shout-out to back-seat drivers, who are an annoyance 99 percent of the time but lifesavers for that other one percent.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
26 May 2025
-
Many users aren’t interested in a touch screen for general computing, so the reflection annoyances aren’t worth the trade-off to plenty of shoppers.—
Matthew Buzzi,
PC Magazine,
16 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gadfly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gadfly. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
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