bête noire
noun
a person or thing especially disliked or dreaded; bane; bugbear.
bêtes noires
-
pluralof bête noire.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Jefferson and Hamilton, bêtes noires on so many issues, framed the debate.
From Salon ● Apr. 21, 2024
Seeing one of his bêtes noires — racial gerrymandering — at work, Mr. Blum recruited the former mayor, Don Higginson, as a plaintiff, and on Oct.
From New York Times ● Nov. 19, 2017
Even two of his bêtes noires, Rupert Murdoch and Judith Miller, found themselves the unlikely subjects of Shafer-typed defenses.
From Slate ● Sep. 30, 2016
Godzilla, then a new paper combining two bêtes noires of pseudoscientific scaremongers – mini black holes and the collapse of the vacuum—may appeal to you.
From Science Magazine ● Aug. 3, 2015
I've not smothered William Yorke, or set old Galloway's office on fire, and those respected gentlemen are my two bêtes noires.
From The Channings by Mrs. Henry Wood
