1
as in dreads
something or someone that causes fear or dread especially without reason
communism was once the nation's biggest bugbear
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in headaches
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 bugbears
Anyway, as this supporter told Sky Sports, one of their bugbears is that Chelsea Dagger doesn’t actually have anything to do with Chelsea Football Club.
—
Tim Spiers, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Tim Spiers, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugbears
Noun
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Other introspective angles are explored during Mariano’s audiences with his friend the Pope (Rufin Doh Zeyenouin), a serene Black man with a head crowned by a bundle of silver dreads, who tools around the Vatican on a motorbike.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Time to let go of Wi-Fi headaches, and hold on to smooth streaming with the Google Wifi Mesh Router.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
15 Oct. 2025
-
Ear seeding, an acupressure technique used in traditional Chinese medicine, is used to alleviate anxiety, headaches, and pain.—
Stephanie Brown,
Verywell Health,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The series is set in the seemingly idyllic town of Blooming Hills, where unknown forces unleash chilling terrors on local teens.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
7 Oct. 2025
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But worst of all is the knowledge that all of these terrors were trademarks of the asylums that stowed away those with mental health conditions well into the 20th century.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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That doesn’t mean Ohtani’s frustrations aren’t bleeding through.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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Tua Tagovailoa’s frustrations with the Miami Dolphins’ performances through six weeks of the 2025 NFL season appeared to boil over following a 29-27 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
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James went down a lengthy list of bugaboos that hurt the Chargers, including but not limited to 14 penalties totaling 107 yards, the Giants’ 7-for-15 efficiency on third downs, a lackluster start that featured deficits of 10-0 and 13-3 in the first half and a failure to force a New York turnover.—
Elliott Teaford,
Oc Register,
28 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Decades ago, marshes were considered nuisances, soggy flats to be drained, dried, and made waterproof with liberal coatings of asphalt.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Buds will fail to open properly, and some of the canes will have multitudes of thorns.—
Neil Sperry,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Oct. 2025
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Since his introduction in Peacemaker’s first season, the sarcastic, Cheeto-devouring martial arts expert has been one of the sharpest thorns in the sides of the 11th Street Kids.—
Scott Meslow,
Vulture,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The second rule is that yesterday's allies are tomorrow's enemies, and vice versa.—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
16 Oct. 2025
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Blues, who included woke Luddites and other political enemies, would be shut out of the bounty—forced out, in fact.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bugbears.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugbears. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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