as in dwarf
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 insect
With so many insects packed together in moist and dark places — and all closely related, sharing the same genetic vulnerabilities — infections and diseases can quickly pose an enormous threat to the well-being of an ant colony.
—
Arundathi Nair, NPR, 7 Jan. 2026
Oropouche virus – insect-borne and poised to spread Oropouche virus was first identified in the 1950s on the island of Trinidad off the coast of South America.
—Patrick Jackson, The Conversation, 7 Jan. 2026
Mealybugs are small, fuzzy insects that cluster on plants.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 7 Jan. 2026
The dress featured a sparkly insect motif on the chest and a daring hip-high slit.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for insect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insect
Noun
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La Selva always had caymans, but only the less aggressive and less territorial dwarf and white species.—
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Recently, the Hubble Space Telescope captured an image of a dwarf galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major.—
Noun
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The movie, which posits an impending nuclear strike on a major American city, is a flimsy yet high-minded piece of doomsday schlock, largely populated by ciphers in suits and drained of the pulp pleasures that schlock, at its best, can afford.—
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Such ciphers are easy to crack using techniques such as checking letter frequency and identifying common patterns.—
Noun
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Professional athletes, however, aren’t nobodies.—
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More importantly, the narrative explores both sides of the conflict from the POV of grunts and 'nobodies' trying to navigate the post-Civil War state of the galaxy before the fighting stops.—
Noun
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The Samsonite Winfield 2 Hardside Expandable Checked Bag is a Travel + Leisure editor favorite, thanks to its lightweight yet durable shell.—
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This lightweight, nourishing oil helps support the skin’s microbiome while delivering deep hydration.—
Noun
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The moderates had expected a larger number of Democrats to vote with them as around 10-12 Democratic senators had been part of the negotiations.—
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But Jackie’s defining value is framed as determination, and The Queen of Versailles is too busy handing her upbeat girlboss numbers to reckon in any meaningful way with the consequences.—
Cite this Entry
“Insect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insect. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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