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
Forget the bugaboo of EV battery range.
—
Mark Phelan, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2025
Sitting sedately behind his host’s desk instead of standing up and jigging, Colbert informed the viewers about his guest, Senator Adam Schiff—another bugaboo to Trump—then quickly transitioned to telling the bad news.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 21 July 2025
And in May, reporting revealed the charity had dropped commitments to housing and homelessness nonprofits, including many focused on MAGA’s biggest bugaboos: racial equity and economic inclusion.
—Max Taves, Mercury News, 11 July 2025
The secretary is going after issues that have long been bugaboos of him and his anti-vax group, Children's Health Defense.
—CBS News, 29 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for bugaboo
Mark Phelan, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2025
Sitting sedately behind his host’s desk instead of standing up and jigging, Colbert informed the viewers about his guest, Senator Adam Schiff—another bugaboo to Trump—then quickly transitioned to telling the bad news.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 21 July 2025
And in May, reporting revealed the charity had dropped commitments to housing and homelessness nonprofits, including many focused on MAGA’s biggest bugaboos: racial equity and economic inclusion.
—Max Taves, Mercury News, 11 July 2025
The secretary is going after issues that have long been bugaboos of him and his anti-vax group, Children's Health Defense.
—CBS News, 29 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for bugaboo
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugaboo
Noun
-
Walt Disney Imagineering updated the storyline of Black Widow Bride Constance Hatchway earlier this year by turning her from an axe murderer who beheads her wealthy husbands into a more mournful figure overwhelmed by the dread of lost love.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
13 Oct. 2025
-
The idea of having to double-cleanse fills me with dread.—
Mattie Kahn,
Vogue,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Anyway, as this supporter told Sky Sports, one of their bugbears is that Chelsea Dagger doesn’t actually have anything to do with Chelsea Football Club.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
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Low volumes of trading has been a common bugbear for foreign investors looking at investing in Tadawul.—
Matthew Martin,
semafor.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In the Netflix adaptation, Pippa helps describe the fight against the Twits’ reign of mischief and terror, serving as a moral compass amid the chaos.—
Jane LaCroix,
PEOPLE,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Mathis has been a terror for opposing quarterbacks alongside teammate and fellow true freshman Sidney Stewart.—
The Athletic College Football Staff,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Binkiewicz laments the shutdowns that plague business owners across Miami Beach.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
9 Oct. 2025
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Audiences at Telluride and Toronto had tears pour out in unison, as this is a story of how the Shakespeare couple fell in love, had two children, and lost one of them to the plague.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Rahm opened with two bogeys in his first two holes, struggling to find his rhythm on the front nine.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
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Currently, the median year-end 2025 bogey is right at current levels, implying a helpful reservoir of caution.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
27 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bugaboo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugaboo. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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