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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of bête noire
There’s plenty of satisfying comic justice to come when Salieri is left alone to his own devices — and to spend a lot of climactic alone time with the audience — long after his bete noire is gone.
—
Chris Willman, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026
David Warner, like his bete noire Broad, was involved in 2023 but has retired since.
—Darren Richman, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025
The illiberal Hungarian prime minister is the bete noire of the European Union, a beloved hero to a major segment of the U.S. right and most vocal statesman among nationalists in the West.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024
Others also pointed to a 2010 Bon Jovi gig in Tokyo that featured images of the Dalai Lama – Beijing’s bete noire – on the stage background.
—Heather Chen, CNN, 10 Feb. 2024
Wilt Chamberlain, Russell’s friend and lifelong bete noire, tried to slow down the game by taking Russell one-on-one in half-court sets that put the massive, absurdly gifted Wilt square in the post.
—Corbin Smith, Rolling Stone, 8 Feb. 2023
The food stylist's bete noire turned out to be foam.
—Clark Collis, EW.com, 3 Oct. 2022
To some Republican participants in the hearing, the whole thing seemed like an opportunity to take easy shots at outlets like Fox News, long a bete noire of the liberal and Democratic establishment.
—Andy Meek, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2021
Final approval rests with Italian President Sergio Mattarella—a respected figure in Italy’s establishment and another bete noire of the League and 5 Star Movement.
—WSJ, 11 Feb. 2019
Chris Willman, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026
David Warner, like his bete noire Broad, was involved in 2023 but has retired since.
—Darren Richman, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025
The illiberal Hungarian prime minister is the bete noire of the European Union, a beloved hero to a major segment of the U.S. right and most vocal statesman among nationalists in the West.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024
Others also pointed to a 2010 Bon Jovi gig in Tokyo that featured images of the Dalai Lama – Beijing’s bete noire – on the stage background.
—Heather Chen, CNN, 10 Feb. 2024
Wilt Chamberlain, Russell’s friend and lifelong bete noire, tried to slow down the game by taking Russell one-on-one in half-court sets that put the massive, absurdly gifted Wilt square in the post.
—Corbin Smith, Rolling Stone, 8 Feb. 2023
The food stylist's bete noire turned out to be foam.
—Clark Collis, EW.com, 3 Oct. 2022
To some Republican participants in the hearing, the whole thing seemed like an opportunity to take easy shots at outlets like Fox News, long a bete noire of the liberal and Democratic establishment.
—Andy Meek, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2021
Final approval rests with Italian President Sergio Mattarella—a respected figure in Italy’s establishment and another bete noire of the League and 5 Star Movement.
—WSJ, 11 Feb. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bête noire
Noun
-
The carefree, hyper-commercial fantasy once sold by the music industry feels harder to sustain in an era shaped by economic anxiety, climate dread, burnout culture, and perpetual online consciousness.—
Desjah Altvater,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2026
-
Bracing for a full metro Atlanta freeway to close for nearly 60 hours induces a dread similar to having to clean a garage for the first time in years.—
Doug Turnbull,
AJC.com,
24 May 2026
Noun
-
Joining the military includes an oath, a binding pledge to defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic and maintain allegiance to the country.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
24 May 2026
-
Upon receiving target coordinates, the RCH 155 can aim and fire up to nine rounds in rapid succession before speeding away in around 30 seconds, before enemy artillery has time to return fire.—
David Szondy
May 23,
New Atlas,
23 May 2026
Noun
-
Amin Abdullah, Mansour Kaziha and Nadir Awad showed our nation what courage looks like by standing between hate and their community.—
Zainab Chaudry,
Baltimore Sun,
22 May 2026
-
The Times has reviewed those writings, which espoused hate toward Muslims, Jews, Black people and Latinos and the LGBTQ+ community.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
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
-
Alexander Kazakov | Afp | Getty Images That Russia and China are seen as ideologically aligned on many geopolitical issues, with each sharing a traditional antipathy and distrust towards the West, and Washington.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
20 May 2026
-
Faced with widespread antipathy, those mainstream forces have been hammered by the electorate, with voters increasingly turning to the Greens and Reform, as well as Plaid and the SNP in Wales and Scotland.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
The post-Dobbs era has transformed what was once a consumer privacy nuisance into a legal liability—and existing federal law offers women no meaningful protection.—
Geri Stengel,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
-
The ordinance was meant to deter public nuisance and crime from excessive public drinking.—
Jack Harvel,
Kansas City Star,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
No respectable woman would permit such an abomination.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
-
Civic spending in all but eight states testifies to the fact that the Lost Cause fantasy was not an aberration or an abomination, but the reality across the country.—
Horace D. Ballard,
Artforum,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Each of those individually is probably anathema to some Ferrari fans, never mind all three together.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
26 May 2026
-
And that was anathema to the march of the dictatorships in the 20th century.—
Julian Sancton,
HollywoodReporter,
25 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bête noire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/b%C3%AAte%20noire. Accessed 28 May. 2026.
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