bugbear

American  

[buhg-bair] / ˈbʌgˌbɛər /

noun

1. any source, real or imaginary, of needless fright or fear.

2. a persistent problem or source of annoyance.

3. Folklore. a goblin that eats up naughty children.

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bugbear British  

/ ˈbʌɡˌbɛə /

noun

1. a thing that causes obsessive fear or anxiety

2. (in English folklore) a goblin said to eat naughty children and thought to be in the form of a bear

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Etymology

Origin of bugbear

First recorded in 1570–80; bug ² + bear ²

Example Sentences

Giving up a beloved pet in order to find somewhere to live has long been a bugbear of those needing to rent.

From BBC

Potholes have become a major bugbear for many drivers.

From BBC

The push factors, meanwhile, are long-standing bugbears - such as a poor regulatory environment, tiresome bureaucracy and a poor ease-of-business climate that has led to an exodus of wealthy, high-earning Indians over the years.

From BBC

One bugbear for her is when parents bring a phone or other device for their children "and they have it on full whack", she says.

From BBC

Kennedy stepped around the question to talk specifically about antidepressants: a longtime bugbear for the current head of the Department of Health and Human Services.

From Salon