GADFLIES Synonyms: 30 Similar and Opposite Words

gadflies

noun

plural of gadfly

as in nuisances

one who is obnoxiously annoying the journalist was known as a gadfly for exposing hypocrisy in politics

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 gadflies In podcasting, for example, so many writers or social media gadflies publish the Best Of List as a recycled version of the Top Ten podcasts ranked by downloads. — Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026 Their false claims about getting financially fleeced by Uncle Sam were fueled by a rather sophisticated, albeit deceitful and shameful lobbying campaign, sponsored by greedy gadflies out to make a quick buck. — Tom Margenau, Dallas Morning News, 1 Feb. 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gadflies

Noun

In March, a Jackson County judge ordered Millennia to board up the property and fix those nuisances.

— Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026
The number of bears killed by motor vehicle strikes, euthanized as nuisances because of conflicts with humans or poached in the Central Florida region over the past decade total about 1,900.

— Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of nuisances

Noun

Insecticides Spraying feeders with insecticides may seem like a smart way to keep pests away from bird seed, but these products can cause more harm than good.

— Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 29 Aug. 2026
In one of the findings, bat houses — artificial roosts in urban environments, similar to nest boxes for birds — were doing their job helping to suppress pests on pecan farms in Texas.

— Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of pests

Browse Nearby Words

gadding (about)

gadflies

gadfly

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Gadflies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gadflies. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of gadflies

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

matriculate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes