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
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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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But there is a clinging dread and mystery in these stories that will stay with you.—
Drew Broussard
July 8,
Literary Hub,
8 July 2025
-
For Lawler, the incident drove home the growing problem of space junk—and left her with a sense of dread that’s never quite gone away.—
Dan Falk,
Smithsonian Magazine,
3 July 2025
Noun
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Some headaches are related to muscle tension and can be triggered by stress.9 Hot showers or baths promote relaxation.—
Mark Gurarie,
Verywell Health,
9 July 2025
-
These can seem like a real headache for a sole trader who does not have an HR department to take care of all this for them.—
Peter Boolkah,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
Noun
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The secretary is going after issues that have long been bugaboos of him and his anti-vax group, Children's Health Defense.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
29 June 2025
-
But this week, his irons are dialed, and suddenly the golfer most famous for his short game bugaboo is in the top five almost entirely because of his incredible saves around the green.—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
15 June 2025
Noun
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James Tolkan plays Gerald Strickland, who worked at Hill Valley High School and, in both 1955 and 1985, was a thorn in the side of the McFlys.—
Jonathon Dornbush,
EW.com,
3 July 2025
-
Many people had thoughts about what was said, especially the constant thorn in Puff’s side, 50 Cent.—
Armon Sadler,
VIBE.com,
30 June 2025
Noun
-
The city’s multidisciplinary public task force, established in August 2023, was formed to investigate businesses and properties that have public safety concerns and city ordinance violations like nuisances and municipal offenses.—
PJ Green
July 10,
Kansas City Star,
10 July 2025
-
There is also an AI consultant… who probably would have come in handy last season dealing with the artificial intelligence nuisances that were Ainsley and Jankie.—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
8 July 2025
Noun
-
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
-
Pearl, who is Jewish, has expressed his fervent support for Israel in the face of rising antisemitism in the U.S. since the Oct. 7 terror attacks in Israel.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
11 July 2025
Noun
-
Just ask Paige Spiranac, former LPGA hopeful turned golf influencer, who recently took it to X to voice her frustration.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
-
More than six months into his presidency, Trump has shown increasing frustration with Putin as a ceasefire deal to end the conflict remains out of reach.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
10 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 18 Jul. 2025.
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