as in dread
something or someone that causes fear or dread especially without reason
doing one's tax returns is a real bugaboo for a lot of people
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bugaboo
En route to finally winning a Super Bowl, the Colts were finally getting the upper hand on their longtime bugaboo, the Brady-Bill Belichick Patriots.
—
Jim Reineking, USA Today, 4 May 2026
Five batters into Sunday’s game and the home run bugaboo that plagued Imanaga last season delivered a sense of déjà vu to the 33,559 fans in attendance at Wrigley Field.
—Andy Martinez, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
But defense remains a big bugaboo, especially around the rim.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 13 Mar. 2026
Quite simply, Texas got bit by the same bugaboo that has haunted it this entire season.
—Kirk Bohls, Houston Chronicle, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bugaboo
Jim Reineking, USA Today, 4 May 2026
Five batters into Sunday’s game and the home run bugaboo that plagued Imanaga last season delivered a sense of déjà vu to the 33,559 fans in attendance at Wrigley Field.
—Andy Martinez, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
But defense remains a big bugaboo, especially around the rim.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 13 Mar. 2026
Quite simply, Texas got bit by the same bugaboo that has haunted it this entire season.
—Kirk Bohls, Houston Chronicle, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bugaboo
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugaboo
Noun
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He's described by officials as a Black male in his late teens with a medium-large build and thick dreads.—
Nick Lentz,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
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Like Widow’s Bay, Twin Peaks freely mixes moments of overwhelming dread with lighter moments and takes place in a corner of the world with, well, special properties.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
15 June 2026
Noun
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These days, fear and absurdity walk hand in hand, and anyone who’s scrolled a news feed knows how quickly abject terror can morph into cathartic giggles.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
17 June 2026
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The military retaliation followed an April 26 terror attack, when an explosive device detonated on a passenger bus traveling along the Pan-American Highway in the volatile Cauca region.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2026
Noun
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Wardex's incompetence is another bugbear.—
Ian Stokes,
Space.com,
12 June 2026
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This has been one of its main bugbears for years, with several engine types experimented with.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Why did the plague kill so many children?—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
18 June 2026
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Willerslev and other researchers looked for traces of plague-causing bacteria in remains from four cemeteries near Siberia's Lake Baikal.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 June 2026
Noun
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Among those another shot back was Jon Rahm, who missed two good chances Friday morning but still managed a 68 without a bogey on his card.—
Doug Ferguson,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
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Four bogeys and a double bogey, to go with four birdies for a two over 72.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bugaboo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugaboo. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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