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
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of bugbear
One of Trump’s biggest bugbears is the U.S. trade deficits with a number of key trading partners, including Canada and the EU.
—
Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2025
The fiscal policy has proved to be a persistent political bugbear for Berlin, with arguments between parties over the extent to which the debt brake ensures responsible spending, or limits growth and investment.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 24 Feb. 2025
To attribute the corrosion of institutional trust to such bugbears as relativism or postmodernism is to ignore explanations that are both more concrete and more parsimonious.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2025
Kevin Lamarque | Reuters As U.S. President Donald Trump looks to immediately fix his greatest political and economic bugbears, the thorny issue of NATO defense spending is likely to quickly return to the global fore.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bugbear
Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2025
The fiscal policy has proved to be a persistent political bugbear for Berlin, with arguments between parties over the extent to which the debt brake ensures responsible spending, or limits growth and investment.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 24 Feb. 2025
To attribute the corrosion of institutional trust to such bugbears as relativism or postmodernism is to ignore explanations that are both more concrete and more parsimonious.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2025
Kevin Lamarque | Reuters As U.S. President Donald Trump looks to immediately fix his greatest political and economic bugbears, the thorny issue of NATO defense spending is likely to quickly return to the global fore.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bugbear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugbear
Noun
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As the anniversary of Will’s disappearance approaches, so does a heavy, familiar dread.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
16 July 2025
-
Anyone who has broken in a pair of sandals knows the dread of a blister after a day of walking, but that’s not an issue with this pair.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
People.com,
16 July 2025
Noun
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Read More: The 9 Most Underrated Healthy Foods Flavorings and additives Natural fruit compounds, artificial colorants, and tannins in wine can cause headaches, GI symptoms, or hives in sensitive people.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Time,
22 July 2025
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His salary: $760,000. Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Andy Pages have dealt the Padres numerous headaches.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 July 2025
Noun
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And in May, reporting revealed the charity had dropped commitments to housing and homelessness nonprofits, including many focused on MAGA’s biggest bugaboos: racial equity and economic inclusion.—
Max Taves,
Mercury News,
11 July 2025
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And so far, Edmonton’s biggest bugaboo, goaltending, has held steady.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2025
Noun
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Presidents of both parties complained about judges blocking policies nationwide Nationwide injunctions have been a thorn in the side of presidential administrations of both parties.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
22 July 2025
-
Those critics may or may not prove to be a thorn in O’Brien’s side.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
10 July 2025
Noun
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Last month, Los Angeles city officials declared these properties a public nuisance because of their failure to take action to clean up debris.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 July 2025
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The cicadas swarming in and around Cincinnati can be a nuisance.—
Chad Murphy,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
Noun
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Sami Al-Arian, a former University of South Florida professor who is associated with the Gaza Tribunal, admitted to conspiring to aid the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group in 2006.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
12 July 2025
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Gaza would be razed, much like Dresden or Hiroshima, in order to eliminate the danger of terror attacks on Israel coming from Gaza.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
Noun
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Other operators have expressed similar frustration, and some members of Congress have signaled support for an overhaul.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
22 July 2025
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The rise of ghost jobs has been causing real frustration for job seekers.—
Kara Dennison,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
Noun
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Sailing teaches us that being an honorable competitor is more important than being a top competitor because while every race is there to lose, luck is the omnipresent hobgoblin.—
Conor Mastromarco,
Baltimore Sun,
18 Nov. 2024
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Gleeson’s Puck is a malevolent hobgoblin who serves as the royal jester to King Auberon of Faerie.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
2 July 2024
Cite this Entry
“Bugbear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugbear. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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