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 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 The question of how to fly with a cello is a bugbear among many string players. — John Phipps, New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bugbear

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugbear

Noun

Wedding season is in full swing, bringing with it a familiar sense of dread for anyone who fears the dance floor.

— Chloe Veltman, NPR, 11 July 2026
Australian newspapers in the early 1800s offered constant snake coverage, giving a sense of collective dread.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026

Definition of dread

Noun

Puppies getting their first grooming experience, large breeds that are difficult to transport and dogs in multi-pet households where coordinating salon logistics is a headache all stand to gain as well.

— Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 10 July 2026
Designed for home gardeners who want results without the hassle – no gas, no fumes, and no maintenance headaches.

— ABC News, ABC News, 10 July 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

And the yodel knows that the only way to grab the rose is to risk exposing the hand to the thorn.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
Later, after a half-day tour to the nearby towns of Lampa and Pucará, the team made magic again, with a lunch in a forest of towering Puya raimondii, otherworldly bromeliads with thorns like piranha teeth.

— Chris Schalkx, Travel + Leisure, 4 July 2026

Definition of thorn

Noun

What started as a campaign to diminish Iran’s nuclear capabilities and weaken its global terror networks has morphed into a dispute over control of one of the world’s most important trade routes.

— David Goldman, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
In these novels, the main character has been so absurdly addled by a (late-revealed) trauma that everyday human interactions are wildly aglow with (at first) terror or (later) manic-pixie wonder.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026

Definition of terror

Noun

These seemingly minor nuisances are becoming a drain on municipal resources and complicating the rollout of robotaxi service.

— Bloomberg, Mercury News, 14 July 2026
Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, 19, was widely expected to plead guilty to charges of mischief and public nuisance.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 July 2026

Definition of nuisance

Noun

Its passage signals that lawmakers recognize the frustration many Americans feel about the high cost of housing.

— Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
Over time, that leads to frustration, burnout, and in some cases, outstanding educators leaving the profession altogether.

— Tiffany Thenor, Forbes.com, 10 July 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 17 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of bugbear

noun

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