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View synonyms for gadfly

gadfly

[ gad-flahy ]

noun

, plural gad·flies.
  1. any of various flies, fly, as a stable fly or warble fly, that bite or annoy domestic animals.
  2. a person who persistently annoys or provokes others with criticism, schemes, ideas, demands, requests, etc.


gadfly

/ ˈɡædˌflaɪ /

noun

  1. any of various large dipterous flies, esp the horsefly, that annoy livestock by sucking their blood
  2. a constantly irritating or harassing person


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Word History and Origins

Origin of gadfly1

First recorded in 1585–95; gad 2 + fly 1

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Word History and Origins

Origin of gadfly1

C16: from gad ² (sting) + fly ²

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Example Sentences

But you run the very real risk of being little more than an interesting gadfly.

The result left the Democratic governor, previously best known as a good-government gadfly, with approval ratings in the low 30s.

I asked Child whether he felt a bond with me, based on the picture for my debut novel, The Year of the Gadfly.

But when I said that Gadfly included vicious bullying and teen suicide, he changed tack.

The right-wing gadfly is on the attack again—but this time she's going after her fellow nutjobs.

The gadfly does not immediately sting you; it begins by buzzing in your ears, and you do not at first know what it is.

As I shouldered my load their murmuring voices full of amorous desire stung me like a gadfly.

Then she carried out her revenge by sending an enormous gadfly to torment poor Io, who was still in the form of a heifer.

The trumpeter Gadfly and a number of his relations, besides several Grasshoppers and Bees, were the chief musicians.

She was nagged incessantly by a gadfly of conscience that buzzed in her ears the counsel to tell the police.

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G/A dep.gadget