bugbear
/ˈbʌɡbɛr/
noun
- A source of persistent annoyance or trouble.
- One bugbear of online shopping is the cost of shipping.
- Traffic jams are a major bugbear for commuters in the city.
- For the teacher, late assignments were a constant bugbear.
- An object or idea that is feared or disliked, often irrationally.
- The politician used the bugbear of rising taxes to scare voters.
- The old legend told of a bugbear that haunted the forest at night.
- For some people, the bugbear of failure keeps them from trying new things.