1
as in curse
a source of harm or misfortune
regarding the new laborsaving machinery as a bane, the 19th-century Luddites went about destroying it in protest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in poison
a substance that by chemical action can kill or injure a living thing
a plant that is believed to be the bane of the wolf
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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 bane
This song is meant to add levity to the series and also introduce us to this ridiculous character whose only purpose is to be the bane of Mabel’s existence for the season.
—
Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 7 May 2026
Creased undereyes are the bane of my existence.
—Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 5 May 2026
High ticket prices have long been the bane of any concertgoer.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 16 Apr. 2026
Political instability has been a bane, with 32 governments taking office since 1990 and none of them completing a five-year term.
—Reuters, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bane
Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 7 May 2026
Creased undereyes are the bane of my existence.
—Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 5 May 2026
High ticket prices have long been the bane of any concertgoer.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 16 Apr. 2026
Political instability has been a bane, with 32 governments taking office since 1990 and none of them completing a five-year term.
—Reuters, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bane
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bane
Noun
-
The Cavs curse is simply an extension of their ongoing tension.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
25 May 2026
-
Clark’s father is a DJ as well as the author of a five-part comic series in which the protagonist, a misunderstood boy, is faced with killing newfound friends to break a curse, according to the father’s Facebook account and online book reviews.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 May 2026
Noun
-
However, at the many pufferfish restaurants in Busan, South Korea’s second-largest city, the poison is safely removed and hungry customers are tucking in.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
23 May 2026
-
Wasn’t love supposed to be the antidote to a head full of poison, a heart full of doubt?—
Quinn Moreland,
Pitchfork,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
The New York Yankees continue to be the Kansas City Royals’ nemeses.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
25 May 2026
-
Plus, outside of Kristina asking her island nemesis to name a loved one for every juror, the final Tribal Council lacked any sort of spark from the jury.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
That model translates neatly into other chronic areas like metabolic disease and cardiovascular risk, where early intervention and consistent feedback can make measurable differences in outcomes.—
Dr. Peter Fotinos,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
-
Congo says over 100 cases have been confirmed Tracing and isolating Ebola contacts is seen as key to stopping the spread of the disease, which usually manifests as hemorrhagic fever.—
Rodney Muhumuza,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
Manufacturers should be diligently working to clean up their supply chains and manufacturing practices to ensure their products are free of PFAS and other toxics.—
Sarah Todd,
STAT,
1 May 2026
-
Taking supporting women’s wrongs—and rights—to new levels, everyone’s favorite toxic on-screen Girl Boss duo are back for a fourth season of Industry: Harper Stern and Yasmin Kara-Hanani.—
Chloe Laws,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bane.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bane. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
