bugbear

noun

bug·​bear ˈbəg-ˌber How to pronounce bugbear (audio)
1
: an imaginary goblin or specter used to excite fear
2
a
: an object or source of dread
b
: a continuing source of irritation : problem

Did you know?

Just as peanuts are neither peas nor nuts (they are legumes), bugbears are neither bugs nor bears, but a secret, third thing. Not so secret that we won’t share it with you, however. Let’s start with the bug in bugbear, which refers not to an insect, but instead comes from the Middle English word bugge. This bugge was used for all kinds of imaginary spooky creatures—from ghosts and goblins to scarecrows—that cause fright or dread. In the 1500s this bug was combined with bear (as in the animal) to form bugbear, even though there is little evidence that either a bug or bugbear took an ursine form. In fact, based on its earliest known uses, bugbear began as an all-purpose word for things that cause fear or dread, not just supernatural beasties. This sense is still in use today, alongside the closely related sense of “a continuing source of irritation or annoyance.” Use of the “hobgoblin” sense of bugbear appears to have begun slightly later, though it, too, persists to the present day, notably as the name of a hulking creature in the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons.

Examples of bugbear in a Sentence

The biggest bugbear of the skiing business is a winter with no snow. communism was once the nation's biggest bugbear
Recent Examples on the Web The latest edition of this survey, out this week, found that EV’s perennial bugbear is still bugbearing. Aarian Marshall, WIRED, 29 Feb. 2024 The world right now may not be entirely ready for EV’s, with bugbears like charging station availability and battery life, but Plug-In Electric Hybrids are a viable alternative. Jon Bird, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 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. Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2024 My biggest bugbear was probably the rattling from underneath the floor of the cargo area; there's an area here to store charging cables and the puncture repair kit, and something in there wasn't seated properly. Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, 1 May 2023 But getting the dry coating process just right at commercial scale initially proved to be a much bigger bugbear than Musk and his team anticipated. IEEE Spectrum, 1 Sep. 2021 The complaints listed by the dealerships show familiar EV bugbears—poor charging infrastructure, the fact that batteries take longer to recharge than a gas tank takes to refill, and a loss of towing range. Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, 28 Nov. 2023 For some people this seemingly unavoidable commute might be a bugbear—but for the associate vice president at a transportation company, it’s become welcome. Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2023 Such cases have been a bugbear for the liberal civil-rights cause. Jeannie Suk Gersen, The New Yorker, 26 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bugbear.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Time Traveler
The first known use of bugbear was in 1552

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Dictionary Entries Near bugbear

Cite this Entry

“Bugbear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bugbear. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bugbear

noun
bug·​bear ˈbəg-ˌba(ə)r How to pronounce bugbear (audio)
-ˌbe(ə)r
1
: an imaginary creature used to frighten children
2
: something one is afraid of
3
: a continuing source of annoyance

More from Merriam-Webster on bugbear

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