What does bugbear mean?
A bugbear is something that causes persistent fear, annoyance, or obsessive concern — a recurring problem or a pet hate that someone returns to again and again. The word originated in the sixteenth century as a name for a terrifying imaginary creature, combining 'bug,' an old word for a hobgoblin or scarecrow, with 'bear,' producing the image of a monstrous goblin-bear invoked to frighten children. Over time the literal monster faded, and by extended use bugbear came to describe anything that haunts or vexes a person: rising costs, bureaucratic paperwork, a rival's habits, or a chronic grievance. Today it is most often used figuratively, often with mild humor, to identify someone's particular bête noire — the thing they grumble about above all else. Its colorful origin gives the modern word a vividness that plainer synonyms like 'annoyance' lack.
nounA persistent source of fear, annoyance, or anxiety; a pet peeve or recurring problem that someone habitually complains about.
- A recurring source of fear, anxiety, or dread (the older sense, now rarer).
- A persistent irritation, grievance, or topic one is obsessively preoccupied with; a pet hate.
"Rising insurance premiums had become the small business owner's chief bugbear."
"Commuting delays are his biggest bugbear about city life."
"In the sixteenth century, parents warned children that the bugbear would carry them off if they misbehaved."
Standard pluralization; commonly used when listing several distinct annoyances.
"Everyone at the meeting aired their own particular bugbears."
Bugbear began as an actual monster — a goblin-bear said to lurk and devour naughty children — before being tamed into the word we now use for traffic jams and tax forms.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bugbear
Bugbear entered English in the late sixteenth century as a compound of 'bug,' an obsolete word meaning a hobgoblin, ghost, or scarecrow (ultimately related to Welsh 'bwg'), and 'bear.' It originally denoted a frightening imaginary creature, akin to the bogeyman, used to alarm children. From this literal monster sense developed the figurative meaning of a persistent object of fear, and later still, of habitual irritation — the dominant modern usage.
How bugbear is actually used
Bugbear is a common noun used in both formal and informal contexts. In modern usage it almost always appears figuratively for a nagging worry or favorite complaint, and is frequently used of minor annoyances with a slightly wry tone. The literal sense (an imaginary monster) is archaic.
Easily confused with bugbear
Bugaboo originally meant a terrifying imaginary creature like a bugbear, but today it usually means any persistent nuisance, whereas bugbear more often denotes a recurring source of irritation or obsession.
The bogeyman is specifically an imaginary monster used to frighten children, while bugbear refers to a real-world source of worry or annoyance.