BETE NOIRE Synonyms: 74 Similar and Opposite Words

bête noire

noun

ˌbet-ˈnwär

Definition of bête noire

as in dread

something or someone that causes fear or dread especially without reason doing my own tax return is the bête noire that haunts me every April

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in enemy

something or someone that is hated in that organization's view, society's number one bête noire should be the drunk driver of a motor vehicle

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 bête noire There’s plenty of satisfying comic justice to come when Salieri is left alone to his own devices — and to spend a lot of climactic alone time with the audience — long after his bete noire is gone. — Chris Willman, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026 David Warner, like his bete noire Broad, was involved in 2023 but has retired since. — Darren Richman, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025 Others also pointed to a 2010 Bon Jovi gig in Tokyo that featured images of the Dalai Lama – Beijing’s bete noire – on the stage background. — Heather Chen, CNN, 10 Feb. 2024 Wilt Chamberlain, Russell’s friend and lifelong bete noire, tried to slow down the game by taking Russell one-on-one in half-court sets that put the massive, absurdly gifted Wilt square in the post. — Corbin Smith, Rolling Stone, 8 Feb. 2023 To some Republican participants in the hearing, the whole thing seemed like an opportunity to take easy shots at outlets like Fox News, long a bete noire of the liberal and Democratic establishment. — Andy Meek, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2021 Final approval rests with Italian President Sergio Mattarella—a respected figure in Italy’s establishment and another bete noire of the League and 5 Star Movement. — WSJ, 11 Feb. 2019

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bête noire

Noun

On Widow’s Bay, a show currently decorated with 19 Emmy nominations, the line between cozy New England charm and creeping dread is often found in the details.

— Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2026
Bauman and Ferguson worked closely to find ways of remaining faithful to the actual house’s architecture while using it as a storytelling tool to evoke a sense of dread and claustrophobia.

— Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of dread

Noun

The two started off as enemies as Judy joined the Zootopia Police Department, but then put aside their differences to solve a mystery in the animal city.

— Jordan Moreau, Variety, 15 Aug. 2026
Inspired by true events, her feature film debut tells the dark story of a small northeastern German village at the end of WWII, when the Nazi regime gave its citizens the order to leave nothing alive for the enemy to find.

— Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of enemy

Noun

Getting together becomes a hate festival toward this child’s ex-spouse.

— R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2026
The meeting was already scheduled to discuss pertinent issues facing the league — among them, the online hate and vitriol directed toward players and other WNBA personnel.

— Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of hate

Noun

But your abhorrence of the outcomes of particular elections doesn’t justify your saying, Well, the hell with that.

— Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026
When human decency and basic civility fall victim to partisanship and ideology, and abhorrence of violence becomes tempered by political aims, monstrosities and tyrannies become possible.

— Michael Bloomberg, Twin Cities, 24 Sep. 2025

Definition of abhorrence

Noun

The other is that Republicans’ antipathy towards vote-by-mail is waning.

— Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 1 June 2026
Alexander Kazakov | Afp | Getty Images That Russia and China are seen as ideologically aligned on many geopolitical issues, with each sharing a traditional antipathy and distrust towards the West, and Washington.

— Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 20 May 2026

Definition of antipathy

Noun

Therefore, the state-level attorney general might opt to bring a legal charge of public nuisance against an AI maker and their AI.

— Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Golden State’s stellar defense has quickly developed a reputation for being a nuisance against top guards in particular.

— Christian Babcock, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of nuisance

Noun

And that was before the abomination — three-parts Netflix advertising event and one-part baseball game — even happened.

— Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 13 July 2026
Qatar 2022 was an abomination in so many ways, a World Cup staged in a nation roughly the size of Connecticut, with an appalling human rights record, but the football was frequently thrilling.

— Oliver Kay, New York Times, 13 June 2026

Definition of abomination

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bet

bête noire

bêtes noires

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“Bête noire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/b%C3%AAte%20noire. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of bête noire

noun

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