51Թ

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View synonyms for

gadfly

[gad-flahy]

noun

plural

gadflies 
  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

/ ˈɡæˌڱɪ /

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

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of gadfly1

First recorded in 1585–95; gad 2 + fly 1
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of gadfly1

C16: from gad ² (sting) + fly ²
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The discord spread online, as social media gadflies claimed Luna had thrown his own deputy under the bus by notifying federal law enforcement officials about the incident — an allegation Luna has repeatedly said is false.

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But, in a new case, one gadfly is barred from going to meetings altogether.

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He barely ever practiced law and spent his entire time in Congress as a political gadfly.

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In the past one would have expected this sort of thing from the likes of Florida gadfly Rep. Matt Gaetz but not the Speaker of the House.

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For decades, he also relished his role as a brutally insulting critic — sometimes of the bands he worked with — and a gadfly who pushed uncomfortable buttons about race, politics and sex.

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When To Use

What doesgadfly mean?

A gadfly is a person who’s always hanging around and annoying people with criticism, demands, and questions. Basically, the kind of person you want to shoo away like a biting insect. Speaking of which ...The literal meaning of gadfly refers to any of several types of flies (such as stable flies or warble flies) that are known for pestering livestock by biting them and sucking their blood.Example: Don’t mind him—he’s just a gadfly who comes to every council meeting to request that the town pay to put a trampoline park in his backyard.

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G/A dep.gadget