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
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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
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Recent Examples of bane
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
The Lakers arrived in Denver with a 17-5 record in games involving clutch time — the same situations that have been the bane of Denver’s existence since Jokic returned from a knee injury.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 6 Mar. 2026
Now that temperatures are climbing and the ground is beginning to thaw, potholes have become the bane of almost every driver on the road.
—Paul Burton, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bane
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
The Lakers arrived in Denver with a 17-5 record in games involving clutch time — the same situations that have been the bane of Denver’s existence since Jokic returned from a knee injury.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 6 Mar. 2026
Now that temperatures are climbing and the ground is beginning to thaw, potholes have become the bane of almost every driver on the road.
—Paul Burton, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bane
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bane
Noun
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Baseball has always been a sport that believes in the occult — in juju and curses and superstitions.—
Tim Rohan,
NBC news,
3 May 2026
-
Mike Russo writes that, in breaking their curse, the Wild may have their best shot at a title in franchise history.—
James Mirtle,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Noun
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The authors reported there were 90,000 calls to poison control centers involving these products in 2023 alone.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
1 May 2026
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Don’t use poisons, traps, or deterrents that could cause harm.—
Michelle Mastro,
Martha Stewart,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Xander Bogaerts’ nemesis stood atop the mound.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
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Yura’s nemeses, who are part of her elderly father’s underwater court, seem to be after her magical flute, an ancient device that controls their kingdom’s dragon.—
Beatrice Loayza,
Variety,
1 May 2026
Noun
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Hantavirus disease is considered rare, with 890 cases reported in the United States between 1993 and 2023.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
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In 2024, for example, more than 700 newborns died from spontaneous bleeding in their brains, which could have been complicated by liver disease or prematurity.—
Lee Hutchinson,
ArsTechnica,
6 May 2026
Noun
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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
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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 7 May. 2026.
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