bête noire

noun

ˌbet-ˈnwär 

ˌbāt-

plural bêtes noires ˌbet-ˈnwär(z) 

ˌbāt-

: a person or thing strongly detested or avoided : bugbear

an idiosyncratic driver whose bête noire was the left turn

—Marylin Bender

Synonyms

• black beast
• bogey
• bogie
• bogy
• bugaboo
• bugbear
• dread
• hobgoblin
• ogre

Examples of bête noire in a Sentence

a politician who is the bête noire of liberal groups

doing my own tax return is the bête noire that haunts me every April

Recent Examples on the Web

The illiberal Hungarian prime minister is the bete noire of the European Union, a beloved hero to a major segment of the U.S. right and most vocal statesman among nationalists in the West. —Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024

Others also pointed to a 2010 Bon Jovi gig in Tokyo that featured images of the Dalai Lama – Beijing’s bete noire – on the stage background. —Heather Chen, CNN, 10 Feb. 2024

Wilt Chamberlain, Russell’s friend and lifelong bete noire, tried to slow down the game by taking Russell one-on-one in half-court sets that put the massive, absurdly gifted Wilt square in the post. —Corbin Smith, Rolling Stone, 8 Feb. 2023

The food stylist's bete noire turned out to be foam. —Clark Collis, EW.com, 3 Oct. 2022

To some Republican participants in the hearing, the whole thing seemed like an opportunity to take easy shots at outlets like Fox News, long a bete noire of the liberal and Democratic establishment. —Andy Meek, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2021

Final approval rests with Italian President Sergio Mattarella—a respected figure in Italy’s establishment and another bete noire of the League and 5 Star Movement. —WSJ, 11 Feb. 2019

Much as animosity toward President Donald Trump rouses Democrats, Pelosi is a bete noire for Republicans, who’ve long targeted her as the prototype of a San Francisco liberal. —John McCormick, Bloomberg.com, 4 Apr. 2018

Four days after McCarthy's surprise showing, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy of New York - Johnson's bete noire - entered the race for the Democratic nomination. —The Washington Post, AL.com, 31 Mar. 2018

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, black beast

First Known Use

1805, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

bête noire

noun

ˌbet-nə-ˈwär 

ˌbāt-

plural bêtes noires ˌbet-nə-ˈwär(z)  ˌbāt- 

: a person or thing strongly disliked or feared