bugbear
noun · verb
Simple meaning
An object of dread or apprehension.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
buhgbehrSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈbʌɡˈbɛɹ
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
An object of dread or apprehension
“Germany was always a bugbear for France.”
A source of dread; resentment; or irritation.
folklorefantasy
A generic creature, often described as a large goblin, meant to inspire fear in children.
An ongoing problem; a recurring obstacle or adversity.
verb
transitive
To alarm with idle phantoms.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C2 · Proficient (estimated)
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: An object of dread or apprehension
Used this way, bugbear is a common word with a clearly unfavourable pull. It sounds natural in ordinary conversation and in expressive writing alike.
“Germany was always a bugbear for France.”
- Emotional tone
- Negative
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Gentle
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Serious and weighty
- Usage feel
- Everyday but emotionally strong
Usage note
It most often appears in the pattern “bugbear for …”, which is worth copying when you use it.
Natural pattern: bugbear for …
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use bugbear
- “Germany was always a bugbear for France.”noun
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Common Patterns and Combinations
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.