noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of bedbug
Explanation
A bedbug is like a tiny vampire that lives in mattresses and couches, feeding on human and animal blood. About the size of an apple seed, these insects are especially frightening in large groups. Bedbugs are tiny, flat insects that feed on human and animal blood, usually at night. These pests have coexisted with humans for thousands of years, hitchhiking around the world in luggage and clothing. Despite their name suggesting a preference for beds, bedbugs can also conceal themselves in unexpected places like electronics and behind wallpaper. Their ability to hide and travel with unsuspecting hosts makes them terrifying invaders in any environment.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
That means that many bedbug encounters go unreported to a government agency, he suggested.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 20, 2024
The bedbug break-out during Paris fashion week this fall was obviously horrifying, but the bad news doesn’t stop there.
From Slate ● Nov. 19, 2023
In Hong Kong, recent reports of a bedbug sighting on an airport train led to several days of feverish news coverage.
From New York Times ● Nov. 18, 2023
South Korean authorities are working to contain bedbug infestations that have caused concern across the country.
From BBC ● Nov. 7, 2023
"Can't stand around chitchatting about a murder that never happened. Sam Westing was a madman. Insane. Crazy as a bedbug."
From "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin
It said the tell-tale signs of bedbugs include red, irritating bites and small blood smears on bed linen; and small brown insects in or around the sleeping area.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
He often gets bitten by bedbugs and walks with a cane, making climbing up and down from his bed difficult.
From Barron's ● May 28, 2026
“Instead of spending $40 each and getting bedbugs, it’s better to sleep in the car,” Georgiou said.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 2026
At night, bedbugs nibbled at the 312 people laying like sardines on the floor of Namazi’s section of Ward 4.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 23, 2026
"They were supposed to disinfect in here weeks ago. Don't worry. The bedbugs are itchy, but you get used to it."
From "What the Night Sings" by Vesper Stamper
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
