BETE NOIRE Synonyms: 74 Similar and Opposite Words

bête noire

noun

ˌbet-ˈnwär

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

Relevance

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

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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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bête noire

Noun

He's described by officials as a Black male in his late teens with a medium-large build and thick dreads.

— Nick Lentz, CBS News, 15 June 2026
Like Widow’s Bay, Twin Peaks freely mixes moments of overwhelming dread with lighter moments and takes place in a corner of the world with, well, special properties.

— Keith Phipps, Vulture, 15 June 2026