1
as in dreads
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 headaches
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 bugbears
This has been one of its main bugbears for years, with several engine types experimented with.
—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Apr. 2026
The bugbears of this season — wasting promising chances (though Manchester United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce deserves credit for many of those) and some vulnerability to counter-attacks — remained.
—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Duffy’s bugbears include the aforementioned fisticuffs, a lack of pleases and thank yous for staff, and the reluctance of current passengers to help the aged, the infirm, and the pregnant.
—
Raven Smith,
Vogue,
27 Nov. 2025
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Apr. 2026
The bugbears of this season — wasting promising chances (though Manchester United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce deserves credit for many of those) and some vulnerability to counter-attacks — remained.
—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Duffy’s bugbears include the aforementioned fisticuffs, a lack of pleases and thank yous for staff, and the reluctance of current passengers to help the aged, the infirm, and the pregnant.
—
Raven Smith,
Vogue,
27 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugbears
Noun
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He's described by officials as a Black male in his late teens with a medium-large build and thick dreads.
-
Mirror images except for the fact that Jelani has his hair in dreads, while Ari goes with the more retro-look afro.
Noun
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Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome causes fatigue, fever, muscle aches, abdominal problems, headaches, chills and dizziness in the early stages, and late symptoms include chest tightness, coughing, shortness of breath and lungs filling with fluid.
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Americans who have health insurance say prior authorization is the healthcare system’s biggest burden, causing administrative headaches while care is kept out of reach.
Noun
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The year since has been one of night-terrors and grief for the families who lost loved ones.
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Coming later this year, Bass X Macina is set in a lawless Steampunk West overrun by brutal outlaws, machines and supernatural terrors, while Sparks of Tomorrow follows how technological progress evolved along a different path shaped by steam power blankets Kyoto in smoke.
Noun
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Those frustrations could be on the verge of boiling over.
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South Africa has a history of xenophobic violence as migrants from poor nations like Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi generally end up settling in impoverished communities in South Africa where unemployment and frustrations are high.
Noun
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Best Supporting Actress One of Hickey’s bugaboos is the way the supporting races have often been gift-wrapped early, with co-leads like Emilia Pérez’s Zoe Saldaña and A Real Pain’s Kieran Culkin sweeping to victory.
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Now, for one of their chief bugaboos — a primary culprit for the mediocre record through 32 games.
Noun
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Besides being nuisances, many types carry diseases including West Nile virus, encephalitis, and canine heartworm.
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If the nuisances continue at Albany Care, the city is seeking a court order to shut the facility down, separate from the state action.
Noun
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In another fates-or-hobgoblins moment, a discombobulated Washington had started a war.
Noun
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An individual bush can grow up to 15 feet high and 40 feet long, with thick stems, also known as canes, marked by sharp, hooked thorns.
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The match was set, and now Rhodes will defend the title against the two thorns in his side since before Clash in Italy.
Cite this Entry
“Bugbears.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugbears. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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