bugbear
Americannoun
-
any source, real or imaginary, of needless fright or fear.
-
a persistent problem or source of annoyance.
-
Folklore. a goblin that eats up naughty children.
noun
-
a thing that causes obsessive fear or anxiety
-
(in English folklore) a goblin said to eat naughty children and thought to be in the form of a bear
Etymology
Origin of bugbear
Vocabulary lists containing bugbear
"The Minister's Black Veil," Vocabulary from the short story
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"A Vindication of the Rights of Woman," Vocabulary from the political argument
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Four Star Words from Annie Proulx's "Rough Deeds"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
GDP estimates are a particular bugbear of his because in service-based economies like the U.S. or the U.K. the figures are usually revised higher later because of delays in collecting invoices, receipts and so on.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026
The issue has long been a bugbear of the NFL players' union, which raised the matter again at its annual Super Bowl press conference.
From Barron's • Feb. 7, 2026
Kennedy stepped around the question to talk specifically about antidepressants: a longtime bugbear for the current head of the Department of Health and Human Services.
From Salon • Aug. 28, 2025
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.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 18, 2024
This didn’t matter too much if you were using the telescope to identify a ship at sea, but it was a major bugbear for the accurate work required in astronomy.
From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
