1
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
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2
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
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Recent Examples of bugbear
Low volumes of trading has been a common bugbear for foreign investors looking at investing in Tadawul.
—
Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Another bugbear: Bigger U.S. distributors now rarely pre-buy movies, taking them out of the film financing equation.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 26 Sep. 2025
And indulging Trump on Kim could help Lee downplay bugbears with Seoul.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
There is a financial crisis brewing in China, but the usual bugbears of the stock market, declining exports, and even the yuan crash are only appetizers, not the main course.
—Salvatore Babones, Foreign Affairs, 16 Aug. 2015
See All Example Sentences for bugbear
Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Another bugbear: Bigger U.S. distributors now rarely pre-buy movies, taking them out of the film financing equation.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 26 Sep. 2025
And indulging Trump on Kim could help Lee downplay bugbears with Seoul.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
There is a financial crisis brewing in China, but the usual bugbears of the stock market, declining exports, and even the yuan crash are only appetizers, not the main course.
—Salvatore Babones, Foreign Affairs, 16 Aug. 2015
See All Example Sentences for bugbear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugbear
Noun
-
There’s a sense of foreboding and dread.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Of course, the dread is always worse.—
Nell Frizzell,
Vogue,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The illness tends to come on abruptly, with symptoms including fever, sore throat, headaches and fatigue.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue, vomiting and diarrhea.—
Jason Green,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Now, for one of their chief bugaboos — a primary culprit for the mediocre record through 32 games.—
Joe Vardon,
New York Times,
25 Dec. 2025
-
Stefon Diggs factored heavily into the comeback, specifically by defeating man-to-man coverage, which had been a bugaboo for this receiving corps lately.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
23 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The Teyana Taylor x Air Jordan 1, her first sneaker collaboration, released in 2023 with a predominantly red colorway featuring green thorns on its Swoosh and a massive removable gold-tone metal charm featuring her initials and a rose.—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Make sure to wear leather gloves to protect your hands from rose thorns.—
Lauren Landers,
The Spruce,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Even his smile is sinister in the English actor’s current reign of cinematic terror.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Nate is now running a construction company, but can be seen in a brief scene, his eyes filled with terror.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Aside from being a general nuisance with their ferocious snores, pungent odors and growls, bears can do serious damage to a home.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Jan. 2026
-
There’s a world in which Minus One is disquieting, where the nuisance of who started that war is totally lost and instead we’re treated to a nationalistic uprising.—
James Grebey,
Vulture,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Michael Malone, during his Nuggets days, was a genius at creating enemies, of underlining slights that may or may not have ever been real.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Hurt by Israel’s large-scale infiltration and strikes last year, Iran’s regime moved swiftly to brand those demanding change as enemies of the state.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
British officials downplayed the pause as temporary, insisting momentum would resume amid complex negotiations, but the impasse signals broader frustrations with Europe’s regulatory posture toward American innovation, market access, and economic sovereignty.—
Daniel Ross Goodman,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
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Emotions were on full display with many expressing sadness and frustration, not only over Wednesday's federal raid, but raids happening around the Twin Cities over the last 40 days.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bugbear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugbear. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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