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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of bugbear
By Arash Azizi American leftists are facing a question that has become a perennial bugbear.
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Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 21 Mar. 2024
The latest edition of this survey, out this week, found that EV’s perennial bugbear is still bugbearing.
—Aarian Marshall, WIRED, 29 Feb. 2024
The world right now may not be entirely ready for EV’s, with bugbears like charging station availability and battery life, but Plug-In Electric Hybrids are a viable alternative.
—Jon Bird, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
The year was 2000 and then-state Sen. Adam Schiff was challenging incumbent Republican Rep. James Rogan, who’d become a national star and liberal bugbear for leading impeachment proceedings against President Clinton.
—Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bugbear 
Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 21 Mar. 2024
The latest edition of this survey, out this week, found that EV’s perennial bugbear is still bugbearing.
—Aarian Marshall, WIRED, 29 Feb. 2024
The world right now may not be entirely ready for EV’s, with bugbears like charging station availability and battery life, but Plug-In Electric Hybrids are a viable alternative.
—Jon Bird, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
The year was 2000 and then-state Sen. Adam Schiff was challenging incumbent Republican Rep. James Rogan, who’d become a national star and liberal bugbear for leading impeachment proceedings against President Clinton.
—Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bugbear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugbear
Noun
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Mondays used to fill many of us with dread at the thought of returning to a rigid office environment.Steve Osler, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
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New developments in generative AI have sparked existential dread in many film professionals, who fear that their jobs could someday be rendered obsolete.Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Exposure to high concentrations can cause people to lose consciousness and can lead to long-term effects such as headaches, poor attention span, poor memory and poor motor function, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.Noelle Phillips, The Denver Post, 15 Nov. 2024
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Common symptoms include a runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, sneezing, coughing, mild headache, and a low-grade fever.Brandi Jones, MSN-Ed, Health, 31 Oct. 2024
Noun
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An eternal bugaboo of mine in the two years of writing these rankings has been finding a third or fourth SEC team to consistently place in the top 25.Sabreena Merchant, The Athletic, 8 Apr. 2024
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And despite getting Anthony Rizzo to pop up for the second out, the long-ball bugaboo bit him against Volpe.Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Lai, a billionaire media tycoon who had long been a thorn in the side of Beijing, was arrested in August 2020, shortly after the central Chinese government imposed a national security law that criminalizes secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.Jennifer Jett, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2024
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The lawsuit, filed by California resident Victor Cho, alleges a violation of the Video Privacy Protection Act, a federal law barring the disclosure of information about viewing habits that’s long been a thorn in the side of streaming providers.Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The world wars turned the insect from a nuisance to a mortal threat.Salama Udaipurwala, JSTOR Daily, 30 Oct. 2024
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But, as this CNN investigation reveals, this public nuisance has an exploitative underbelly that warrants scrutiny.Longreads, Longreads, 25 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Riley's sister Lauren Phillips talked about Riley's terror during her final moments.Samira Asma-Sadeque, People.com, 20 Nov. 2024
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The suit details Iran's embrace of various terror groups dedicated to the destruction of Israel.Louis Casiano, Fox News, 19 Nov. 2024
Noun
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But with crucial deadlines and the land deal itself hanging in the balance, the county’s apparent lack of movement was a source of frustration at Tuesday’s supervisors meeting.Shomik Mukherjee, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024
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Voter frustrations with the economy and immigration are fueling Trump’s slight advantage among Arizona voters.Stephanie Murray, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
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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
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Sightings of the mythical Nain Rouge, a red hobgoblin or dwarf that appears on the eve of tragedy, date to Detroit's origin — and locals have reclaimed the spirit with an annual march to scare the demon away, according to tradition.Detroit Free Press, Detroit Free Press, 24 Mar. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near bugbear
Cite this Entry
“Bugbear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugbear. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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