as in shrimp
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
Outside of insects, the only local birds that pollinate flowers are our hummingbirds, and Maryland doesn’t have pollinating bats (our local species eat insects).
—
Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 28 Apr. 2026
The Northern Illinois Raptor Rehab and Education in Loves Park set up a display table featuring specimens and educational information about how birds control pests such as rodents and insects.
—Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
Patch any holes to keep insects and spiders off the porch.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
This means predators such as birds, insects, and animals leave it alone.
—Victoria Spencer, Martha Stewart, 27 Apr. 2026
Check not only for insects and their larvae or nymphs, but also for eggs, pupal structures, sticky honeydew, webbing, and tiny dark dots on stems and the backs of leaves.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Apr. 2026
Plots with several tree species also had much fuller, denser leaf canopies, leading to cooler, shadier conditions that help understory plants flourish and support up to 50% more insects, spiders and birds.
—John Parker, The Conversation, 20 Apr. 2026
Specifically, the insects are so small and soft-bodied that a strong jet of water to the plants a handful of times a week can be an effective control, either squishing them or washing them away.
—Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 20 Apr. 2026
Use The Right Potting Medium Fill containers with a high-quality potting mix rather than gardening soil or topsoil, which can contain weeds, fungi, and harmful insects.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 28 Apr. 2026
The Northern Illinois Raptor Rehab and Education in Loves Park set up a display table featuring specimens and educational information about how birds control pests such as rodents and insects.
—Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
Patch any holes to keep insects and spiders off the porch.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
This means predators such as birds, insects, and animals leave it alone.
—Victoria Spencer, Martha Stewart, 27 Apr. 2026
Check not only for insects and their larvae or nymphs, but also for eggs, pupal structures, sticky honeydew, webbing, and tiny dark dots on stems and the backs of leaves.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Apr. 2026
Plots with several tree species also had much fuller, denser leaf canopies, leading to cooler, shadier conditions that help understory plants flourish and support up to 50% more insects, spiders and birds.
—John Parker, The Conversation, 20 Apr. 2026
Specifically, the insects are so small and soft-bodied that a strong jet of water to the plants a handful of times a week can be an effective control, either squishing them or washing them away.
—Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 20 Apr. 2026
Use The Right Potting Medium Fill containers with a high-quality potting mix rather than gardening soil or topsoil, which can contain weeds, fungi, and harmful insects.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insects
Noun
-
As zonky cross-generational ciphers go, the group’s debut, Strictly 4 the Scythe, is no Hypnotize Camp Posse, the amalgam of Three 6 Mafia and a grip of artists signed to their Hypnotize Minds label in the early 2000s.—
Dylan Green,
Pitchfork,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The still-unidentified Zodiac Killer, who terrorized the San Francisco Bay Area in the late 1960s, frequently sent threats, demands and ciphers to multiple local papers — namely the San Francisco Chronicle.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The card will also feature several other San Diego-area boxers, including super lightweights Daniel Morales (8-0, 5 KOs) and Angel Juan Estrada (12-1-1, 9 KOs).—
Ivan Carter,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
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Hughes is one of the world's top lightweights in MMA, the sport where McGregor built his following and name.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Seattle’s John Schneider and New England’s Eliot Wolf rose up from young nobodies to graduate from Green Bay Packers University, too.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Where else could award winning writers pop off about nothing at all, and nobodies could rattle the ivory towers?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Big money, uneven returns Steyer’s spending dwarfs every other candidate.—
Grace Hase,
Mercury News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Look for taller varieties and avoid dwarfs.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Insects.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insects. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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