bane

noun
UK: /beɪn/
US: /beɪn/

  1. Something that causes problems or unhappiness over a long period.

    1. Mosquitoes were the bane of our camping trip last summer. [ ] [ ]
    2. Keeping the garden weed-free is the bane of my existence every spring. [ ] [ ]

  2. A cause of great distress or annoyance.

    1. That barking dog is the bane of my life. [ ] [ ]
    2. The constant roadwork has been the bane of commuters in the city. [ ] [ ]

  3. A substance that kills or causes great harm.

    1. Arsenic was once used as a common bane. [ ] [ ]
    2. Pollution is a terrible bane to the health of urban populations. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

curse poison affliction scourge pest plague torment
bane transitive-verb

  1. To cause great distress or annoyance to someone or something.

    1. Loud music banes my ability to concentrate. [ ] [ ]
    2. The new regulations have baned small business owners across the state. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "bane" in English means: Something that causes problems or unhappiness over a long period., A cause of great distress or annoyance., A substance that kills or causes great harm..

The phonetic transcription of "bane" is /beɪn/ in British English and /beɪn/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "bane": curse, poison, affliction, scourge, pest, plague, torment.

Example usage of "bane": "Mosquitoes were the bane of our camping trip last summer.". More examples on the page.