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

The mood would be a mix of confidence, desperation and nagging dread.

— Austin Meek, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Instead, Sega and Creative Assembly have bet on pure atmosphere, dread that runs deeper thanks to more detailed graphics and audio, and of course, letting everyone know the Xenomorph's dynamic AI has evolved too.

— Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of dread

Noun

Brighton sold Carlos Baleba to Manchester United in August in a deal worth up to £70m, and also losing Ayari during the summer window would have been a headache for the head coach.

— Andy Naylor, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Pay for the features that reduce headaches After 1,700 miles, that might have been the biggest lesson.

— Chris Hardesty, AJC.com, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of headache

Noun

This thing of like trying to paint a certain type or color or class of people as the enemy and the great bugaboo in America?

— Jim Ryan, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
If there’s any big bugaboo in his profile, he can be beaten by higher-end velocity, but his ability to adjust to secondary offerings keeps him afloat.

— Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 10 June 2026

Definition of bugaboo

Noun

But times have changed since the days when Wasim and Waqar Younis struck terror into the hearts of opposition lineups with the ferocity of their bowling, or Javed Miandad and Inzamam-ul-Haq made hay with the bat.

— James Wallace, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
State standards for high school world history classes also suggest discussing 9/11 and the war on terror.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of terror

Noun

The suits say continuous noise from data centers’ cooling systems and power generators is substantially interfering with local neighbors’ use and enjoyment of their property — a legal standard for proving a private nuisance.

— Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026
Here are some tips for protecting shrubs from this foraging nuisance.

— Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of nuisance

Noun

They can be seen as the external expression of an aspect of America our true-believing enemies have learned to hate and fear.

— Robert Stone, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026
Heath Ledger’s Joker is an enemy who doesn’t play by the rules, attacking the city with no clear political goal beyond creating panic and chaos.

— Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of enemy

Noun

The frustration within the Democratic caucus immediately prompted some calls for harsh consequences.

— Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026
The AfD was created in 2013 as a small anti-euro party before morphing into an anti-migrant force that tapped into voter frustration over immigration and the strains many Germans perceive on housing, jobs and public services.

— Erik Kirschbaum, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of frustration

Browse Nearby Words

bugaboos

bugbear

bugbears

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

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Synonyms of bugbear

noun

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