Bugs: meaning, definitions and examples

General term for small, often bothersome creatures. Commonly used in everyday conversation or informal settings.

• I found a bug in my sandwich!
• We need to keep the windows closed to prevent bugs from coming in.

Scientific term for small invertebrate animals with six legs and usually wings. Used in formal or educational contexts.

• The study of insects is called entomology.
• Insects play a crucial role in pollination.

Refers to harmful insects or animals that cause damage or nuisance. Often used in the context of pest control or agriculture, with a negative connotation.

• We need an exterminator to deal with these pests.
• Rats and other pests have been affecting our crops.

Informal and playful term often used to describe small, potentially frightening creatures, especially to children.

• There are too many creepy crawlies in the basement.
• The kids were scared by the creepy crawlies in the garden.

Commonly used in software development to describe problems in the code that cause it to not work as intended.

• The new update introduced several bugs that need to be fixed
• The test team found a bug in the login module

Often used in both software and hardware contexts to describe imperfections or flaws. This term is formal and commonly used in quality assurance.

• The product had multiple defects that needed to be addressed before release
• Quality assurance teams work hard to identify any defects

Informal term generally used to describe minor, unexpected problems that are usually temporary. Often used in technology and gaming contexts.

• There was a glitch in the matrix
• The game has a few glitches, but they don't affect gameplay much

Broader and general term that can be used in any context to describe a mistake or incorrect result. More formal than 'bugs'.

• The system encountered an error and had to reboot
• A syntax error in the code caused it to crash

This term is often used when something or someone causes mild but persistent discomfort or inconvenience. It’s not usually severe but can be very annoying over time.

• It really bugs me when people are late for meetings.
• The noise from the construction site bugs me every morning.

Use this word when something or someone causes a moderate level of irritation. The feeling is stronger than being bugged but not as intense as being irritated.

• His constant humming is starting to annoy me.
• The way she interrupts people all the time is really annoying.

Choose this word for situations where something or someone causes significant discomfort or frustration. This is stronger than being annoyed and can often have a negative connotation.

• The way he chews his food loudly really irritates me.
• It's irritating when people don't follow simple instructions.

This term is used when something or someone causes minor inconvenience or discomfort. It can also imply that someone is requesting too much attention.

• I don't mean to bother you, but could you help me with this?
• The loud music from the neighbor's party didn't really bother me.