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
The incredibly convoluted and varied minimum bag limits across different airlines have been the bane of low-cost European travel since carry-on charges were first introduced in 2005 by the now-defunct Flybe airline.
—
Duncan Madden, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025
Clouds are the bane of a hurricane forecaster’s existence.
—Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 2 July 2025
Those pernicious and incomparably sticky, handheld messes that somehow became THE fireside confectionary concoction without which a camping trip would be incomplete are the bane of my existence.
—Caleb Harris, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Compliance Check For Key Industries Ah, compliance—the bane of every CISO's existence.
—Itzik Alvas, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for bane
Duncan Madden, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025
Clouds are the bane of a hurricane forecaster’s existence.
—Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 2 July 2025
Those pernicious and incomparably sticky, handheld messes that somehow became THE fireside confectionary concoction without which a camping trip would be incomplete are the bane of my existence.
—Caleb Harris, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Compliance Check For Key Industries Ah, compliance—the bane of every CISO's existence.
—Itzik Alvas, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for bane
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bane
Noun
-
Rumors of a Satanic curse on the event skittered around the Haight, so early on the morning of the 14th, Ginsberg, Snyder, and Alan Watts conducted a pradakshina, a Buddhist purification rite.—
Dennis McNally,
Rolling Stone,
7 Aug. 2025
-
As those points attest, emotional wording can be a blessing and a curse.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
For example, researchers showcased that an AI system for detecting and protecting us from toxic poisons could easily be adjusted to craft new toxic mixtures that can wipe us out (see my coverage at the link here).—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
-
On Tuesday, defense attorney Ashley Whitham didn't dispute that Angela had poison in her system, or that James was having an affair.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
16 July 2025
Noun
-
Mike Yastrzemski, who just returned to the leadoff spot, belted a solo home run against longtime nemesis Joe Ryan to begin the night.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
9 Aug. 2025
-
Given the shakeup at Atleti’s local nemesis and scene-stealer Real, and the notion that Baena is a familiar name, making the natural step up from one La Liga team to another, his switch may have gone relatively unnoticed outside Spain.—
Henry Flynn,
Forbes.com,
28 July 2025
Noun
-
Water plants in the morning so foliage dries quickly to reduce the risk of foliar diseases.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
15 Aug. 2025
-
Myths, folk tales, and negative media coverage mean people often link these flying mammals to vampires or blame them for disease outbreaks.—
Anna Tunkova,
CNN Money,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Air toxics and health The five air toxics that Colorado selected all have negative impacts on health.—
Jenni Shearston,
The Conversation,
25 Feb. 2025
-
The politics at Oakland Unified have moved from contentious to outright toxic in the past two years, with the board split on key votes around financial decisions.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
31 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bane.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bane. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share