1
as in dread
something or someone that causes fear or dread especially without reason
doing my own tax return is the bête noire that haunts me every April
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in enemy
something or someone that is hated
in that organization's view, society's number one bête noire should be the drunk driver of a motor vehicle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bête noire
Noun
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Melissa's mysteries capture interest Hurricane scientists watched with a familiar feeling of dread as Melissa traversed the Caribbean.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
2 Nov. 2025 -
Imagine not suffering existential dread over Tilly Norwood; imagine the freedom to choose to use AI for interstitial shots without kicking the Letterboxd hornets’ nest, as did the brothers Cairnes with Late Night With the Devil back in 2024.—
Andy Crump,
Time,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
When integrated into multiple systems, the Tactical Edge Electromagnetic Solutions (TEEMS) can jam enemy systems with speed and precision.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Netanyahu said the country would continue trying to bring home the bodies of Israelis still being held across enemy lines, such as Eli Cohen, an Israeli spy hung in Damascus in 1965.—
NPR,
NPR,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
My generation deserves better leaders than the ones teaching us that bigotry is bravery and hate is just a joke.—
Eli Thompson,
Rolling Stone,
8 Nov. 2025
-
What Marissa does doesn’t come from hate.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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These findings echo a broader pattern political scientists call affective polarization: the replacement of disagreement with abhorrence.—
Manvir Singh,
New Yorker,
27 Oct. 2025
-
When human decency and basic civility fall victim to partisanship and ideology, and abhorrence of violence becomes tempered by political aims, monstrosities and tyrannies become possible.—
Michael Bloomberg,
Twin Cities,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The antipathy toward Scherzer stemmed less from his years of excellence as a Dodgers opponent and more from his brief stint on the team in 2021.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
28 Oct. 2025
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Rather than attracting qualified applicants who want to serve in federal law enforcement, ICE may be appealing to people with antipathy toward immigrants, or who see themselves as helping defend the U.S. from demographic changes.—
Raul A. Reyes,
Mercury News,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
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An Orange County judge granted the city of Santa Ana’s request for a preliminary injunction against several businesses on East First Street accused of being public nuisances.—
Mona Darwish,
Oc Register,
8 Nov. 2025
-
According to the American Mosquito Control Association, mosquitoes are not only a nuisance but also a public health concern, capable of carrying diseases like West Nile virus.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The tale of the Navidson family and friends exploring their eldritch abomination of a house features death and survival horror alongside impossible architecture and geometry.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
14 Oct. 2025
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Cast aside as an abomination, Karloff’s gentle giant only craves an intimate connection with someone else.—
Samantha Allen,
Them.,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Pokémon’s power comes from constantly being in the zeitgeist with a new product out regularly, conditions anathema to innovation.—
Ryan Gaur,
Rolling Stone,
14 Oct. 2025
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In sports, it’s often considered anathema to look back.—
David Aldridge,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Bête noire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/b%C3%AAte%20noire. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
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