Thesaurus results for BUGABOOS

bugaboos

noun

plural of bugaboo

as in dreads

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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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of bugaboos 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. — Nate Jones, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026 Now, for one of their chief bugaboos — a primary culprit for the mediocre record through 32 games. — Joe Vardon, New York Times, 25 Dec. 2025 James went down a lengthy list of bugaboos that hurt the Chargers, including but not limited to 14 penalties totaling 107 yards, the Giants’ 7-for-15 efficiency on third downs, a lackluster start that featured deficits of 10-0 and 13-3 in the first half and a failure to force a New York turnover. — Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 28 Sep. 2025 Getting the focus right is one of the bugaboos of using a telephoto lens for astrophotography, because the focus on such lenses is touchy and easily gets knocked off kilter. — IEEE Spectrum, 28 Apr. 2024

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugaboos

Noun

Royals, who has typically sported some of the team’s most stylish hair, cut his dreads last week.

— Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 23 Sep. 2026
He's described by officials as a Black male in his late teens with a medium-large build and thick dreads.

— Nick Lentz, CBS News, 15 June 2026

Definition of dreads

Noun

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

Definition of bugbears

Noun

An emphasis on local artisans can be seen in everything from the restaurant’s clay tableware to the spirits used in The Bar’s impressive craft cocktail list.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
While looks at the show leaned into the designer’s ethereal, romantic spirits, this was also an exercise in literary self-portraiture.

— Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of spirits

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bugaboo

bugaboos

bugbear

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“Bugaboos.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugaboos. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of bugaboos

noun

Example Sentences

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