BUGBEAR Synonyms: 99 Similar and Opposite Words

bugbear

noun

ˈbəg-ˌber

Definition of bugbear

as in dread

something or someone that causes fear or dread especially without reason communism was once the nation's biggest bugbear

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in headache

something that is a source of irritation hated all the bugbears of modern life, especially those long commutes to work

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 bugbear This has been one of its main bugbears for years, with several engine types experimented with. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 25 Apr. 2026 Timings, though, can often be a bugbear. — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026 The turbulence created in a car’s wake is the eternal bugbear of F1 fans and rulemakers. — ABC News, 4 Mar. 2026 Take The Mandibles, a book that revolves around the national debt, long a bugbear of hers. — Adelle Waldman, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bugbear

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugbear

Noun

Mary understands pacing, atmosphere, and how to withhold information to create dread.

— Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 6 Nov. 2026
Third of all, overcoming two years of dread took a long time.

— Monique John, CBS News, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of dread

Noun

Passengers stranded The nationwide ground stop caused chaos in airports and headaches for travelers — many of whom are already too familiar with flight delays and cancellations during the holiday season.

— Juliana Kim, NPR, 13 Nov. 2026
But these systems are still in the early research and development phase and may not adequately solve every privacy headache.

— Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 12 Nov. 2026

Definition of headache

Noun

Print editions used to appear three times a week and proved to be a thorn in the side of the Kremlin.

— Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2026
The United States has around 54,000 military personnel stationed in Japan, mostly on Okinawa, and crimes committed by its personnel have been a thorn in relations between the close security allies.

— CBS News, CBS News, 9 Nov. 2026

Definition of thorn

Noun

Freedom, and the chance to briefly escape the grind of a stay-at-home mom with three little terrors.

— Kevin Fanady, New Atlas, 6 Nov. 2026
In 2001, he was fired from MTV UK after turning up to work dressed as Osama bin Laden two days after the September 11 terror attacks.

— Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of terror

Noun

In Shibuya, Halloween festivities were already a nuisance — but now, officials realized there was more to worry about than empty bottles and loud music.

— Lilit Marcus, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2026
The residents want a court to rule that Los Angeles must abate the nuisance on its properties, Wurman said.

— Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of nuisance

Noun

Encounters involve using firearms and hand-to-hand combat to fight enemies.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Nov. 2026
Analysts point out that while politicians portray data centers as public enemies driving up utility bills, electricity price hikes occur primarily in regions experiencing power tightness caused by inadequate forward looking grid planning.

— , CNBC, 13 Nov. 2026

Definition of enemy

Noun

But across this wolf may cry, her breathy delivery becomes so uniform that longing, frustration, and romantic desperation frequently sound indistinguishable.

— Precious Fondren, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2026
And rather than allowing his defense to anchor him during challenging games, the wing often allows his frustration to seep into his defensive assignments.

— Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of frustration

Browse Nearby Words

bugaboos

bugbear

bugbears

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Style

“Bugbear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugbear. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of bugbear

noun

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