gadfly

One group was inspired by Justin Shubow, a gadfly who has made a career out of opposing modern architecture, and bankrolled by Thomas Klingenstein, chairman of the conservative Claremont Institute.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 13, 2026

Fleming, meanwhile, hasn’t had much to spend, and has always been somewhat of a gadfly going back to his years in the House of Representatives.

From Slate ● May 16, 2026

That’s because in Austin, Harrison is viewed as a gadfly, with few legislative victories or allies.

From Salon ● Oct. 16, 2025

You know that gadfly Lady Whistledown’s voice is none other than that of Dame Julie Andrews.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2024

In various court documents, judges described Cofield as a “con artist,” “no more than a gadfly and an exploiter of the court system,” and “the most litigious inmate in the system.”

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

The Legislature was coming after the gadflies like Gilbert.

From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2025

And why is the work of maintaining them left to civic gadflies, even after two consecutive New York mayors have pledged to tackle the problem?

From Slate ● Apr. 25, 2023

In a politically engaged place like West Hollywood — a 1.9-square-mile city of 35,000, with no shortage of drama or gadflies — people tend to notice.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 5, 2022

But aside from planners, developers and the gadflies who attend late night city council meetings, the average citizen regards it the way they regard their electric company or municipal water system.

From New York Times ● Aug. 26, 2021

Simplizio smiled, toward the hedge, and wondered at the condescension of so great a theologian and astrologer, in joking with him about the gadflies and hornets in the beginning of April.

From Imaginary Conversations and Poems A Selection by Walter Savage Landor