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
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bane
Here come the holidays, the bane of job seekers everywhere.
—
Amy Lindgren, Twin Cities, 22 Nov. 2025
But along with ready cash, the laissez-faire approach brought the banes of corruption, criminal infiltration, and rampant pollution.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 15 Oct. 2025
Those four words that my husband asks almost every day are the bane of my existence.
—Sari Hitchins, Parents, 13 Oct. 2025
Collective farms, the bane of Soviet agriculture that had once inspired Fidel’s revolutionary visions, were no longer the norm.
—Joseph J. Gonzalez, The Conversation, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bane
Amy Lindgren, Twin Cities, 22 Nov. 2025
But along with ready cash, the laissez-faire approach brought the banes of corruption, criminal infiltration, and rampant pollution.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 15 Oct. 2025
Those four words that my husband asks almost every day are the bane of my existence.
—Sari Hitchins, Parents, 13 Oct. 2025
Collective farms, the bane of Soviet agriculture that had once inspired Fidel’s revolutionary visions, were no longer the norm.
—Joseph J. Gonzalez, The Conversation, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bane
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bane
Noun
-
In part, this is just a curse of timing for the tournaments being played.—
The Athletic Tennis Staff,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2026
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In Jujutsu Kaisen, heroic jujutsu sorcerers wage war against demonic creatures called curses and the curse users, who wield jujutsu powers for evil.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
1 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
It is sometimes laced with rat poison or bug spray.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
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The same applies to other mouse and rodent remedies, such as poison or live traps.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Still, Vegas had been a nemesis that had beaten Denver eight games in a row before the Broncos flipped that and swept in 2024.—
Greg Cote
November 5,
Miami Herald,
5 Nov. 2025
-
In the same vein, denim tends to be the nemesis of carry-on-only travelers.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The result is a hybrid system capable of autonomously targeting and treating disease sites with minimal disruption.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Nov. 2025
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As Hoffine noted, hunger often kills not just through starvation, but by weakening immune systems to the point where people can't fight off disease.—
Nurith Aizenman,
NPR,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Israeli policy has made the very subject toxic, turning normalization into a domestic and strategic risk for Arab leaders and their governments.—
GALIP DALAY,
Foreign Affairs,
1 Oct. 2025
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Environmental advocates say the new regulation of air toxics, which was required under a 2022 bill called Public Protections From Toxic Air Contaminants, will make the state’s air cleaner and its people healthier.—
Noelle Phillips,
Denver Post,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bane.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bane. Accessed 7 Jan. 2026.
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