1
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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2
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bête noire
Noun
-
Melissa's mysteries capture interest Hurricane scientists watched with a familiar feeling of dread as Melissa traversed the Caribbean.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
2 Nov. 2025 -
Imagine not suffering existential dread over Tilly Norwood; imagine the freedom to choose to use AI for interstitial shots without kicking the Letterboxd hornets’ nest, as did the brothers Cairnes with Late Night With the Devil back in 2024.—
Andy Crump,
Time,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
This means people had to be close enough to see and mark the target, often within range of enemy fire.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Nov. 2025
-
After meeting as children in 1950s Naples, their story goes on to cover over 60 years, exploring the mystery of Lila – Elena’s brilliant best friend and, in a way, her worst enemy.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The historically Black church that Lamar leads this year was awarded control of the trademark for the name and logos of the Proud Boys, a far-right extremist hate group, that was convicted of vandalizing the church in 2020.—
Mara Williams,
Kansas City Star,
31 Oct. 2025
-
There’s hate that was coming from women that my baby dad dealt [with] in the past.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
These findings echo a broader pattern political scientists call affective polarization: the replacement of disagreement with abhorrence.—
Manvir Singh,
New Yorker,
27 Oct. 2025
-
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
Noun
-
Rather than attracting qualified applicants who want to serve in federal law enforcement, ICE may be appealing to people with antipathy toward immigrants, or who see themselves as helping defend the U.S. from demographic changes.—
Raul A. Reyes,
Mercury News,
11 Oct. 2025
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Global leaders are being tested by intractable wars in Gaza,Ukraine and Sudan, uncertainty about the economic and social impact of emerging artificial intelligence technology, and anxiety about Trump’s antipathy for the global body.—
Aamer Madhani,
Fortune,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In Shea Carney's house, those beverage bottles and cans eligible for a 10-cent deposit return have become more of a nuisance than a useful income boost.—
Keith Matheny,
Freep.com,
30 Oct. 2025
-
South Milwaukee requires exotic or wild animal owners to get a permit from the City Health Department, which can be denied if the animal poses a danger or nuisance.—
Quinn Clark,
jsonline.com,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The tale of the Navidson family and friends exploring their eldritch abomination of a house features death and survival horror alongside impossible architecture and geometry.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
14 Oct. 2025
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Cast aside as an abomination, Karloff’s gentle giant only craves an intimate connection with someone else.—
Samantha Allen,
Them.,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Pokémon’s power comes from constantly being in the zeitgeist with a new product out regularly, conditions anathema to innovation.—
Ryan Gaur,
Rolling Stone,
14 Oct. 2025
-
In sports, it’s often considered anathema to look back.—
David Aldridge,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Bête noire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/b%C3%AAte%20noire. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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