1
as in curse
a source of harm or misfortune
regarding the new laborsaving machinery as a bane, the 19th-century Luddites went about destroying it in protest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in poison
a substance that by chemical action can kill or injure a living thing
a plant that is believed to be the bane of the wolf
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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 bane
Elias Lindholm took an offensive zone tripping penalty – O-zone stick fouls have been the bane of the B’s season – and the Sabres cashed in on the power play.
—
Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
The trio in its entirety seemed to have weighed at least three pounds, leading me to believe that Bob’s isn’t too fazed by inflation or the overall food cost margins that seem to be the bane of every restaurateur’s existence.
—Andre James, Charlotte Observer, 23 Mar. 2026
The bane of every dictator Freedom of the press is the bane of every dictator.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026
This terrain has already proven a bane to recent uncrewed lander attempts, including both missions by Intuitive Machines, which had landers tip after touchdown.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bane
Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
The trio in its entirety seemed to have weighed at least three pounds, leading me to believe that Bob’s isn’t too fazed by inflation or the overall food cost margins that seem to be the bane of every restaurateur’s existence.
—Andre James, Charlotte Observer, 23 Mar. 2026
The bane of every dictator Freedom of the press is the bane of every dictator.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026
This terrain has already proven a bane to recent uncrewed lander attempts, including both missions by Intuitive Machines, which had landers tip after touchdown.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bane
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bane
Noun
-
As words have incantatory power to shift elements of fate, as well as matters of the heart, this project calls forward questions around an alleged family curse from Nagasaki and the writing process as its own counter-spell.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
Press conferences can be a blessing and a curse for football managers.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
Officials are relying heavily on poison control reports and are working to add amatoxin poisoning to the state’s list of reportable conditions.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
16 May 2026
-
On its lip, a small snail is not only basking in the poison but converting it into a shell that is part iron.—
Adam Kovac,
Scientific American,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
One day, the crew was filming a scene at one of Christie’s fashion shows, where the Velvet Gang confronts its nemesis.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
-
Various nemeses and side characters enter the fray, from Jim’s archenemy (and also Insta-famous) Pavel to the scally with a sneaker-sniffing fetish who guides Jim and Lucien to their next destination.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
The World Health Organization (WHO) has also reported new hantavirus cases in Spain and France, drawing attention to the rare but potentially severe disease, which can cause serious respiratory complications in humans.—
Brittany Miller,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
-
People with conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s disease, or colitis may not tolerate high-fiber meals as well and sometimes require a lower-fiber approach.—
Kathleen Ferraro,
Verywell Health,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Manufacturers should be diligently working to clean up their supply chains and manufacturing practices to ensure their products are free of PFAS and other toxics.—
Sarah Todd,
STAT,
1 May 2026
-
Taking supporting women’s wrongs—and rights—to new levels, everyone’s favorite toxic on-screen Girl Boss duo are back for a fourth season of Industry: Harper Stern and Yasmin Kara-Hanani.—
Chloe Laws,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bane.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bane. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
