bane

Something or someone that causes serious trouble, unhappiness, or failure.

• Weeds are the bane of every gardener.
• These constant delays have become the bane of my life.
• Poor drainage was the bane of the entire building project.

How to use it: the bane of someone’s existence/life (Mosquitoes are the bane of my existence in summer.)

Similar words: curse, scourge, menace

Opposites: blessing, boon

Common phrases: the bane of, bane of existence, bane of someone

Great suffering, harm, or complete destruction.

• The curse brought bane upon the kingdom.
• The poet wrote of war’s bane and sorrow.
• They feared the stranger would bring them bane.

Similar words: ruin, misery, harm, doom

Opposites: well-being

Common phrases: bring bane, bane and sorrow, woe and bane