bugs 1 of 2

noun

plural of bug
1
as in suckers
a person with a strong and habitual liking for something a camera bug who loves taking candid shots at fairs and festivals

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in diseases
an abnormal state that disrupts a plant's or animal's normal bodily functioning I can't go to work today because I've caught some bug that's going around

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in lunatics
a person having or showing a severely disordered or abnormal state of mind a bug with a fascination for committing arson

Synonyms & Similar Words

bugs

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of bug
1
as in annoys
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts these incessant phone calls are really starting to bug me

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bothers
to thrust oneself upon (another) without invitation I hate to bug you, but could you help me move this table?

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 bugs
Noun
Skip full fall cleanups—seeds and stems help birds, bees, and bugs overwinter. — Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 8 Aug. 2026 Landlords in Texas are required to keep rental units free from hazards like rodents and bugs that can result from overflowing trash at an apartment complex, under the state’s repair and remedy statute. — Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Aug. 2026 The findings include 85 critical and 635 high-severity bugs, most of which have already been verified by project owners. — Billy Bambrough, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026 For adventurous kids, Gilliane Talley, of Christopher Burke Engineering, was eager to feed them bugs. — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026 The types of white bugs that attack hibiscus also feed on many other tropical plants such as mandevilla, gardenia, and jasmine. — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Aug. 2026 The group, called Bynario, had discovered 50 bugs in macOS 27 with the help of ChatGPT. — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 5 Aug. 2026 The two most significant bugs are both present in Supermicro systems. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 5 Aug. 2026 Mealy bugs and scale insects are causing plants to decline; control with insecticidal soaps. — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Aug. 2026
Verb
Lift sheets, curtains and cushions to check for bed bugs or signs of bed bugs before settling in. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2026 Instead, as Laura bugs her sister long enough about just forgiving her already, Mary explodes. — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 11 July 2026 What really bugs me about this moment, and about the battle and its aftermath, is the lack of feeling. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 When traveling, the EPA suggests inspecting any room visitors will be staying in for the presence of bed bugs. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026 As an existing subdivision — 99% of it vacant — Azure Vista offered hundreds of buildable vacant lots populated only by red ants, quail and Groucho Marx bugs. — Eric Duvall, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026 Travelers are advised to inspect hotel rooms upon arrival and use precautions like plastic bags or luggage liners to prevent bringing bed bugs home. — Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 15 Jan. 2026 Check the head and base and foot of the bed, peeling back the top sheet to look for evidence on mattress covers, box springs, dust ruffles, and the headboard—and most importantly, the mattress seams and piping because bed bugs like to hide in cracks and crevices. — Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 25 Dec. 2025 Both can reduce debris or items that attract the boxelder bugs. — Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugs
  1. suckers
  2. diseases
  3. lunatics
  4. annoys
  5. bothers
  6. lovers
  7. illnesses
  8. maniacs
Noun
  • The ornamental characteristics of suckers that develop from roots are inferior to the upper portion of the tree.
    — Molly Burford, Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The Maryland Terrapins rolled these suckers out in the early 2010s and subsequently burned the retinas of college football fans all over the country.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of suckers
Noun
  • While there is no scientific evidence that apitherapy can cure diseases or illnesses, it is recommended as a complimentary wellness practice alongside traditional medicine, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 6 Aug. 2026
  • When asked how the candidates would stabilize animal agriculture, Klobuchar mentioned protecting animals from diseases like avian flu and hiring more large-animal veterinarians.
    — Mary Murphy, Twin Cities, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of diseases
Noun
  • While sane Americans were celebrating the MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia on Tuesday night, the lunatics in Portland, Oregon were cheering along as two men made out on a baseball field during a 'Heated Rivalry' theme night.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 July 2026
  • The lunatics are running the asylum.
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 14 June 2026
Definition of lunatics
Verb
  • Hotel-booking platform HotelTonight surveyed 447 of its American adult users in June about what annoys them the most during travel.
    — Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 21 July 2026
  • But Turner is a symbol for everything that annoys people about the Phillies.
    — Matt Gelb, New York Times, 19 July 2026
Definition of annoys
Verb
  • My concern is what happens when the signal becomes so established that nobody bothers separating it from the qualities it was supposed to represent.
    — Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The result is a bunch of people losing their jobs, which really bothers me.
    — Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of bothers
Noun
  • This $200 price cut lowers the barrier to entry for flagship-tier processing, giving movie lovers, sports fans, and console gamers a rare chance to capture real-world colors and cinematic picture without the standard retail price strain.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Likewise, the Breitling Top Time was introduced in the 1960s, and became a favorite of youthful, active, hip watch lovers.
    — Carol Besler, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of lovers
Noun
  • Over the next 60 years, polio, measles, rubella, smallpox and other illnesses nearly vanished.
    — Dr. Marianne Parshley, Hartford Courant, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Doctors say severe cases are seen more often in elderly patients, people with weakened immune systems, and those with liver disease, diabetes and certain chronic illnesses.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of illnesses
Noun
  • The odd thing about this choice is that, although the DSA’s platform is indeed chock-full of maniacal proposals, on this particular idea, the maniacs have a point.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 22 July 2026
  • Because Sidney Prescott, now Evans, exists only in relationship to Ghostface, the costume worn by many different knife-wielding maniacs over the years, starting with her high school boyfriend.
    — Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 3 Mar. 2026
Definition of maniacs

Browse Nearby Words

bug out
bugs
bugs off
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bugs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugs. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on bugs

Nglish: Translation of bugs for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of salvo

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

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

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

'Gaslighting,' 'Woke,' 'Democracy,' and Other Top Lookups
See More

Popular

See More

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

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All