as in dread
something or someone that causes fear or dread especially without reason
doing one's tax returns is a real bugaboo for a lot of people
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Recent Examples of bugaboo
Range anxiety, the bugaboo of all-electric driving, is even more frightening for all-electric flying, where running out of power has worse consequences than having to pull over to the side of the road.
—
IEEE Spectrum, 9 June 2017
One of the chief bugaboos for fossil fuel interests is a movement among the states to create Superfund-like programs that would require polluters to pay for damages caused by climate change disasters.
—Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 13 Apr. 2025
The good news: Shelter prices, last year’s bugaboo, appear to be heading down, economists note.
—Andrew Ross Sorkin, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Another looming bugaboo: Father Time, which Rocky says is undefeated.
—Anthony Stitt, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bugaboo
IEEE Spectrum, 9 June 2017
One of the chief bugaboos for fossil fuel interests is a movement among the states to create Superfund-like programs that would require polluters to pay for damages caused by climate change disasters.
—Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 13 Apr. 2025
The good news: Shelter prices, last year’s bugaboo, appear to be heading down, economists note.
—Andrew Ross Sorkin, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Another looming bugaboo: Father Time, which Rocky says is undefeated.
—Anthony Stitt, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bugaboo
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugaboo
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
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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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Defense spending has been a thorny subject for NATO members for years, and a persistent bugbear for Trump.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
5 June 2025
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Under his leadership, Michigan had a robust Diversity, Equity and Inclusion program — a bugbear for Republicans — until announcing in March that it would be dismantled.—
Philissa Cramer,
Sun Sentinel,
4 June 2025
Noun
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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
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Gaza would be razed, much like Dresden or Hiroshima, in order to eliminate the danger of terror attacks on Israel coming from Gaza.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
Noun
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This is in addition to the broader advice given the plague of text message attacks now targeting American citizens.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
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The sylvatic plague is the same bacterium that causes bubonic and pneumonic plague in humans.—
Catherine Reagor,
AZCentral.com,
9 July 2025
Noun
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Cristie Kerr wins the U.S. Women’s Open by making only two bogeys over her final 45 holes.—
Houston Mitchell,
Los Angeles Times,
1 July 2025
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Meanwhile, Cink carded four birdies and two bogeys in the opening round for a 68, but improved the next day with five birdies and one bogey (66).—
Julio Cesar Valdera Morales,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bugaboo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugaboo. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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