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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bugaboo
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
Considering the convergence of current cultural bugaboos on deck here—race, class, cancel culture, immigration—The Uproar mostly wears its topicality lightly, preferring the granular pull of human drama to editorial hectoring or lectures.
—Book Marks
june 26, Literary Hub, 26 June 2025
But this week, his irons are dialed, and suddenly the golfer most famous for his short game bugaboo is in the top five almost entirely because of his incredible saves around the green.
—Brody Miller, New York Times, 15 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for bugaboo
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
Considering the convergence of current cultural bugaboos on deck here—race, class, cancel culture, immigration—The Uproar mostly wears its topicality lightly, preferring the granular pull of human drama to editorial hectoring or lectures.
—Book Marks
june 26, Literary Hub, 26 June 2025
But this week, his irons are dialed, and suddenly the golfer most famous for his short game bugaboo is in the top five almost entirely because of his incredible saves around the green.
—Brody Miller, New York Times, 15 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for bugaboo
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugaboo
Noun
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The Internet's Emotional Reaction The video's initial reactions on TikTok were a mix of playful dread and pure joy.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Aug. 2025
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Frost’s pastoral landscapes are haunted by loss and shadowed by anxiety, doubt and dread.—
A.O. Scott,
New York Times,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
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This was a bugbear most prominently highlighted in the case of the U.S. naval surveillance activities in Chinese EEZ in particular.—
Ryan Chan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
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Defense spending has been a thorny subject for NATO members for years, and a persistent bugbear for Trump.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
5 June 2025
Noun
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London — Large crowds of people protesting the British government’s decision to ban the activist group Palestine Action gathered in London’s Parliament Square on Saturday, in a show of continuing support since it was designated as a terror organization in July.—
Kara Fox,
CNN Money,
6 Sep. 2025
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For Bear, the new arrangement is great about 99 percent of the time… the only drawback is that Nikki occasionally snaps back into her old self and screams in utter terror for a few seconds, before resuming the love-bombing.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In 2003, the city of Chicago participated in TOPOFF 2, a national terrorism response exercise simulating a radiological attack in Seattle and the release of pneumonic plague in Chicago.—
Lauren Buitta,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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Fantasy romance trilogy The Magic of the Lost barrels to its epic conclusion, following The Faithless’ one-two punch of the Withering plague returning to Balladaire and queen Luca asking soldier Touraine to be her general and her wife.—
Natalie Zutter
September 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Charlie carded a 4-over 76 in the first round, with three birdies and seven bogeys.—
Julio Cesar Valdera Morales,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Aug. 2025
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Cantlay, after opening with a bogey and double bogey, battled all day but settled for a 1-over 71.—
Tim Corlett,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bugaboo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugaboo. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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