insect

noun

ˈin-ˌsekt How to pronounce insect (audio)
Definition of insectnext
as in dwarf
a person of no importance or influence the magazine's editor in chief was notorious for treating staffers as insects, often not even bothering to learn their names

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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 insect From ash trees on the Appalachian Trail to century-old elms in Vermont’s capital, emerging treatments and breeding programs offer a rare, hopeful counterpoint to widespread insect and disease damage. — Amanda Swinhart, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026 Although Salmonella primarily originates in the intestinal tracts of people and animals, including insects and birds, the bacterium is commonly found in the environment. — Kimberly Baker, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026 The ancient creature’s paddle-like abdominal limbs provide direct fossil evidence that insects conquered land through a prolonged semi-aquatic phase rather than an abrupt transition. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026 They are well documented in insects and other animals, and some pheromones do not have a discernible scent, Scientific American explained. — Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for insect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insect
  1. dwarf
  2. cipher
  3. nobody
  4. lightweight
  5. number
Noun
  • The image, captured a year earlier by the Hubble Space Telescope, showed UGC 9050-Dw1, a dwarf galaxy some 115 million light-years from Earth.
    — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Watching all ten members sing at once is funny the way the seven dwarves all sleeping in their little beds next to each other is funny.
    — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of dwarf
Noun
  • There’s that vibrancy and, on the other side of the ledger, dead boys, ciphers, unfinished or unfinishable quests.
    — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • But in my view, our relationships to animals, whose lives are untouched by the existential woes and artifices of personhood, are the richest and most evident ciphers for our own often inscrutable psyches.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 June 2026
Definition of cipher
Noun
  • In the trailer, the civilians are selling themselves as a new breed of nobodies.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Despite the tragicomic instability and the rotating cast of nobodies temporarily tasked with running the country, when seen in macroeconomic terms, Peru appears to be doing just fine, thank you.
    — Daniel Alarcón, New Yorker, 4 June 2026
Definition of nobody
Noun
  • Especially one that’s as buttery-soft and lightweight as this Spanx Crewneck Tee.
    — Melony Forcier, Travel + Leisure, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Perovskites, meanwhile, offer the possibility of lightweight and potentially flexible solar layers that could conform to roofs, hoods and other body panels.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of lightweight
Noun
  • Where companies such as Zero and Stark have pushed hard to gain high output numbers in order to win sales, Bonnell hopes to win them by building e-bikes that appeal to riders and enthusiasts at a more visceral level.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The numbers and conference call commentary reinforce the essential role of cybersecurity in the artificial intelligence era.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of number

Browse Nearby Words

in secret
insect
insecticide
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Insect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insect. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on insect

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about insect

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