as in dwarves
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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Recent Examples of insects
In early 2020, Daniel Bachman stood at the edge of a creek in Falmouth, Virginia, recording the sounds of the insects chittering and buzzing around him.
—
Brendan Fitzgerald, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Dec. 2024
Or perhaps flying insects that make split-second changes to their flight patterns enjoy torrents of information flowing through their brains that we mere humans can only imagine.
—Carl Zimmer, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024
That means the insecticides kill all manner of insects that birds feed on, according to the society.
—Maureen Murphy, Hartford Courant, 26 Dec. 2024
Around him, dense as a swarm of tiny insects, float tiny images of fellow adepts engaged in all manner of outré shenanigans.
—Holland Cotter, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024
These fossils represent many ancient animals, including roundworms, velvet worms, insects, and crabs.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 25 Dec. 2024
And favorable winds blew west across the Atlantic Ocean when the insects likely traveled.
—Danielle Hall, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Dec. 2024
The islands are among the most biodiverse places in North America, home to a broad range of mammals, birds, insects, reptiles and plants.
—Shaun McKinnon, The Arizona Republic, 23 Dec. 2024
Aphids, which can be black, brown or green, are small insects often found in clusters on tree branches.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Brendan Fitzgerald, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Dec. 2024
Or perhaps flying insects that make split-second changes to their flight patterns enjoy torrents of information flowing through their brains that we mere humans can only imagine.
—Carl Zimmer, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024
That means the insecticides kill all manner of insects that birds feed on, according to the society.
—Maureen Murphy, Hartford Courant, 26 Dec. 2024
Around him, dense as a swarm of tiny insects, float tiny images of fellow adepts engaged in all manner of outré shenanigans.
—Holland Cotter, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024
These fossils represent many ancient animals, including roundworms, velvet worms, insects, and crabs.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 25 Dec. 2024
And favorable winds blew west across the Atlantic Ocean when the insects likely traveled.
—Danielle Hall, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Dec. 2024
The islands are among the most biodiverse places in North America, home to a broad range of mammals, birds, insects, reptiles and plants.
—Shaun McKinnon, The Arizona Republic, 23 Dec. 2024
Aphids, which can be black, brown or green, are small insects often found in clusters on tree branches.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near insects
Cite this Entry
“Insects.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insects. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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