1
as in dread
something or someone that causes fear or dread especially without reason
communism was once the nation's biggest bugbear
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in headache
something that is a source of irritation
hated all the bugbears of modern life, especially those long commutes to work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bugbear
Take The Mandibles, a book that revolves around the national debt, long a bugbear of hers.
—
Adelle Waldman, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
The question of how to fly with a cello is a bugbear among many string players.
—John Phipps, New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2026
Duffy’s bugbears include the aforementioned fisticuffs, a lack of pleases and thank yous for staff, and the reluctance of current passengers to help the aged, the infirm, and the pregnant.
—Raven Smith, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2025
Low volumes of trading has been a common bugbear for foreign investors looking at investing in Tadawul.
—Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bugbear
Adelle Waldman, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
The question of how to fly with a cello is a bugbear among many string players.
—John Phipps, New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2026
Duffy’s bugbears include the aforementioned fisticuffs, a lack of pleases and thank yous for staff, and the reluctance of current passengers to help the aged, the infirm, and the pregnant.
—Raven Smith, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2025
Low volumes of trading has been a common bugbear for foreign investors looking at investing in Tadawul.
—Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bugbear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugbear
Noun
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He's described by officials as a Black male in his late teens with a medium-large build and thick dreads.—
Nick Lentz,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
-
Like Widow’s Bay, Twin Peaks freely mixes moments of overwhelming dread with lighter moments and takes place in a corner of the world with, well, special properties.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
15 June 2026
Noun
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This first patient had fever, headaches, muscle pain, malaise, loss of appetite, diarrhea and abdominal pain, among other symptoms.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
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Earlier this year, Patagonia sued a drag queen and environmental activist performing under the name Pattie Gonia in a trademark dispute, and the feud is quickly becoming a PR headache for the eco-friendly apparel brand.—
Phil Wahba,
Fortune,
15 June 2026
Noun
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Grappling Looks Familiar But Isn't Grappling is still likely to be the biggest bugaboo for most users.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
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If there’s any big bugaboo in his profile, he can be beaten by higher-end velocity, but his ability to adjust to secondary offerings keeps him afloat.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
10 June 2026
Noun
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Until Hoxha's break with Nikita Khrushchev's USSR, after the abjuration of Stalinism, Sazan was in Soviet hands, a thorn in the side of the West, a base for 12 Whiskey-class submarines and of chemical-biological weapons plants.—
Marzio G. Mian,
Vanity Fair,
16 June 2026
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However, some homeowners may be wary of planting roses because of their heavy thorns—especially in households with children or pets.—
Samantha Johnson,
Martha Stewart,
15 June 2026
Noun
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These days, fear and absurdity walk hand in hand, and anyone who’s scrolled a news feed knows how quickly abject terror can morph into cathartic giggles.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
17 June 2026
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The military retaliation followed an April 26 terror attack, when an explosive device detonated on a passenger bus traveling along the Pan-American Highway in the volatile Cauca region.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2026
Noun
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In May, Social Circle filed a lawsuit against DHS, arguing the agency violated federal environmental review requirements and Georgia public nuisance law while pursuing the project.—
CBS News Atlanta Digital Team,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
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Besides being nuisances, many types carry diseases including West Nile virus, encephalitis, and canine heartworm.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
18 June 2026
Noun
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However, this distinction did more than pit pious Americans against an atheist enemy.—
David Williamson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 June 2026
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Dassault’s Mirage fighter – and more recently the Rafale – can creep into enemy airspace, dogfight, drop bombs and launch cruise missiles.—
Joseph Ataman,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
Kiley left the Republican Party earlier this year, citing frustration with partisanship.—
Ruyuan Li. Summary produced by AI assistance,
Sacbee.com,
17 June 2026
-
In Ghana, there also remains frustration at the old FIFA rules which dictated that once a player had represented a country at youth level, he was bound to it forever.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bugbear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugbear. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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