gadfly

Noun

Meaning

Any dipterous insect of the genus Oestrus, and allied genera of botflies.

Source: Webster's dictionary

Synonyms

pest nag critic irritant cuss pesterer blighter troublemaker feller energizer plague fly challenger blackguard pain
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Antonyms

advantage benefit opportunity relief delay ease
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Hypernyms

fly persecutor tormentor tormenter

Hyponyms

botfly clegg horsefly cleg nudnik nudnick

Phrases with the word

sa-11 gadfly

Derivatives

gadflies

Examples

Conflict is the gadfly of thought. It stirs us to observation and memory. It instigates invention. It shocks us out of sheep-like passivity, and sets us at noting and contriving...conflict is a sine qua non of reflection and ingenuity. John Dewey

I'm lucky that SFWA has such a short memory. I was always the Young Turk, the gadfly. Part of the New Wave, although I didn't fit in there either! I spent years, and two histories, putting the so-called Old Guard in their place, and now I'm one of them! Brian Aldiss

Seeing clearly within himself and always able to dodge around the ends of any position, including his own, Shaw assumed from the start the dual role of prophet and gadfly. Jacques Barzun

Conflict is the gadfly of thought. It stirs us to observation and memory. It instigates to invention. It shocks us out of sheeplike passivity, and sets us at noting and contriving. John Dewey

I'm a chameleon, so changeable. I see myself as a gadfly and a questioner. Philip Johnson

The Saylor Foundation is meant to be a gadfly to encourage Google, Apple, MIT, Harvard, the United States government, and the Chinese government to aggressively pursue digital education. Michael J. Saylor

Close letter words and terms

gade Gadea Gaden gadfly petrel gadge gadger