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
Taylor was the alternative-rock gadfly of that scene in that era, whereas Taff was known for a more earnest approach, coming out of the vocal group the Imperials into solo stardom, and highly regarded then and since for his belting abilities.
—
Chris Willman, Variety, 14 June 2025
Malema, a notorious gadfly and former leader of the youth wing of the African National Congress, was long ago expelled amid a storm of fights with the party’s leaders.
—Lydia Polgreen, Mercury News, 27 May 2025
The night began with an interruption from Paperboy Prince, the activist and perennial gadfly candidate, who hijacked the stage wearing clown makeup and white gloves.
—Eric Lach, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
Political tumult in Arizona opened a path for a perennial election gadfly with anti-government leanings to win the governor’s race.
—The Arizona Republic, 22 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for gadfly
Chris Willman, Variety, 14 June 2025
Malema, a notorious gadfly and former leader of the youth wing of the African National Congress, was long ago expelled amid a storm of fights with the party’s leaders.
—Lydia Polgreen, Mercury News, 27 May 2025
The night began with an interruption from Paperboy Prince, the activist and perennial gadfly candidate, who hijacked the stage wearing clown makeup and white gloves.
—Eric Lach, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
Political tumult in Arizona opened a path for a perennial election gadfly with anti-government leanings to win the governor’s race.
—The Arizona Republic, 22 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for gadfly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gadfly
Noun
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According to the California Penal Code, a nuisance can be charged as a misdemeanor.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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The recent interference with the European Commission President’s aircraft showed how quickly GPS denial can shift from nuisance to geopolitical signal.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The digital classroom created a virtual commons where strangers swap pest-control tips instead of partisan jabs.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
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Like aphids and other soft-bodied pests, sawfly larvae will dry out or suffocate when covered in these products.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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One of my long-standing annoyances with macOS was the lack of control over the menu bar.—
Edward Mendelson,
PC Magazine,
15 Sep. 2025
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According to her, the girlfriend brushed off the refusal and signaled her annoyance.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gadfly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gadfly. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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