1
as in dread
something or someone that causes fear or dread especially without reason
doing my own tax return is the bête noire that haunts me every April
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in enemy
something or someone that is hated
in that organization's view, society's number one bête noire should be the drunk driver of a motor vehicle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bête noire
Noun
-
Dixon looks ahead with a mix of optimism and dread.—
Sarah Shephard,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025 -
The assassination of Charlie Kirk has united the parties in a sense of dread that the country has arrived at a dangerous place.—
Mike Lillis,
The Hill,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
These vessels can blend into the ocean’s background noise and deploy advanced drones designed to confuse and distract enemy tracking systems.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Sep. 2025
-
At first, drones were used to scout and drop makeshift bombs onto enemy troops’ heads.—
Joseph Nepomuceno,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In that spirit, the exhibition resists the expectation that women and non-binary artists must define themselves in contrast to a male norm.—
Caterina De Biasio,
Vogue,
11 Sep. 2025
-
The spirit of his work, which earned him a humanism in medicine scholarship in medical school, is what prompted him to call Sutton-Schulman.—
Duaa Eldeib,
ProPublica,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Too many of you are more concerned with being polite and *appearing* to be good people rather than showing some damn backbone and standing on principal (sic) to condemn hate.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Trail of clues This incident has striking similarities with past hate acts in France.—
Saskya Vandoorne,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Based on a 1967 Chevrolet Impala, the black beast is powered by a powerful Chevy V-8 and features parts sourced from a British Harrier fighter jet.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
11 Mar. 2022
-
Malone's black beast in the closet is threatening Alaska now.—
Author: Charles Wohlforth | Opinion,
Anchorage Daily News,
2 Mar. 2018
Noun
-
Holly hits the road with the activist and brings along a gun, despite her deep need to be near her home and her abhorrence of weapons.—
Maren Longbella,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2025
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Tolin doesn’t candy coat the animosity, helping children to understand how artists and Others continue to be misunderstood and how that lack of appreciation fuels abhorrence.—
Natasha Gural,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Both Erica and the Gorn overcame their antipathy.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Heritage and its founder Edwin Feulner are the antipathy of conservativism.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
According to the California Penal Code, a nuisance can be charged as a misdemeanor.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
14 Sep. 2025
-
The recent interference with the European Commission President’s aircraft showed how quickly GPS denial can shift from nuisance to geopolitical signal.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Bête noire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/b%C3%AAte%20noire. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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