BUGS Synonyms: 273 Similar and Opposite Words

bugs 1 of 2

noun

plural of bug

as in suckers

a person with a strong and habitual liking for something a camera bug who loves taking candid shots at fairs and festivals

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as in diseases

an abnormal state that disrupts a plant's or animal's normal bodily functioning I can't go to work today because I've caught some bug that's going around

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as in lunatics

a person having or showing a severely disordered or abnormal state of mind a bug with a fascination for committing arson

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bugs

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of bug

as in annoys

to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts these incessant phone calls are really starting to bug me

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as in bothers

to thrust oneself upon (another) without invitation I hate to bug you, but could you help me move this table?

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of bugs

Noun

With some luck, the PHP bugs will create more inconvenience than economic and human damage. — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026 Anthropic also allowed Claude to patch bugs discovered during verification. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 22 Oct. 2026 Just this week, Bloomberg reported that two manufacturers formerly on FDA's Green List had been laundering product from other sources, had been contaminated with black mold and bugs, and had been destroying records. — Adam Yamaguchi, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 These models can analyze millions of lines of code in seconds, spotting subtle memory management bugs that human auditors might miss over decades of software development. — Doug Jacobson, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026 Despite the game's overall Steam rating, its recent reviews have been mixed due to complaints about bugs, performance issues, and a sense that its developers had effectively abandoned the game after its 2025 release. — Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 19 Oct. 2026 So a benchmark for a large language model today, like GPT-6 Astra or Claude Fable, might test an ability to solve difficult math problems or find security bugs in software. — Quanta Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026 The change won’t be noticed by most of us, and switching to continuous time will be easier for our digital infrastructure—there will be much less risk of bugs or service outages arising from a leap second discontinuity. — Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 15 Oct. 2026 Engineers also turned Gemini 4 loose on the proprietary drone physics simulator used in Project Wing, and the AI found critical bugs that had been in the codebase since 2018. — Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 13 Oct. 2026

Verb

Irwin is uncertain if the second infestation of bed bugs last weekend were ones that weren’t caught the first time, or if a person brought new bed bugs in. — Susan Bromley, Freep.com, 14 Aug. 2026 Not too much bugs him, but he sometimes is annoyed by his baby sister and doesn’t trust people who put pineapple on their pizza. — Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 10 Aug. 2026 Which Iowa cities ranked on the national list for worst bed bugs? — Lucia Cheng, Des Moines Register, 25 July 2026 Lift sheets, curtains and cushions to check for bed bugs or signs of bed bugs before settling in. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2026 Instead, as Laura bugs her sister long enough about just forgiving her already, Mary explodes. — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 11 July 2026 What really bugs me about this moment, and about the battle and its aftermath, is the lack of feeling. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 When traveling, the EPA suggests inspecting any room visitors will be staying in for the presence of bed bugs. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026 As an existing subdivision — 99% of it vacant — Azure Vista offered hundreds of buildable vacant lots populated only by red ants, quail and Groucho Marx bugs. — Eric Duvall, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugs

Noun

The theory seems to be that there will always be another crop of suckers willing to pump money into the ecosystem, so the market will provide.

— Joseph Kahn, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
More suckers may continue to appear for several years unless the stump is ground up or treated with tree stump killer.

— Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of suckers

Noun

Animal diseases also threaten our economy and food system, destroying more than 20% of global livestock production each year.

— Robert Kelly, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
The couple created the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, a philanthropic organization whose efforts include curing, managing and preventing all diseases.

— Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of diseases

Noun

The show will serve as a platform for countless lunatics within the InfoWars universe and a platform for larger announcements about the company’s fictional exploits.

— Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2026
Republicans see an opportunity here, portraying progressive and socialist Democrats as lunatics and communists.

— ABC News, ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of lunatics

Noun

Nature lovers, artists (Ansel Adams found a muse in the Snake River), and outdoor adventurers know the gateway to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks is more than just a winter sports destination.

— Lindsay Cohn, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
The professionalization worked, but at the expense of the site’s internal culture, Cooke argues, as generous eccentrics were displaced by neurotic lovers of rules.

— Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of lovers

Noun

No illnesses have been reported so far, according to the recall notice.

— Hali Smith, Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2026
Likewise, the agents that cause illnesses such as COVID-19, influenza, mumps, pertussis, and strep throat can be transmitted as heavy droplets that land on mucous membranes.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of illnesses

Noun

David extended a hand toward me (imaginary attacks by slow, handshake-wielding maniacs are a martial arts class staple).

— Johanna Stein, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
The odd thing about this choice is that, although the DSA’s platform is indeed chock-full of maniacal proposals, on this particular idea, the maniacs have a point.

— Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 22 July 2026

Definition of maniacs

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bug out

bugs

bugs off

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Style

“Bugs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugs. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of bugs

noun

verb

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