bane

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈbān

Synonyms of bane next

: a source of harm or ruin : curse

national frontiers have been more of a bane than a boon for mankind—

D. C. Thomson

: death, destruction

… stop the way of those that seek my bane …—

Philip Sidney

: woe

: poison

obsolete : killer, slayer

bane

2 of 3

verb

baned; baning

transitive verb

obsolete

: to kill especially with poison

bane

3 of 3

Examples of bane in a Sentence

Noun (1) regarding the new laborsaving machinery as a bane, the 19th-century Luddites went about destroying it in protest a plant that is believed to be the bane of the wolf

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Noun

There was a time when the Mojito was the bane of bartenders back in the early aughts when the drink was popular but the craft cocktail movement hadn’t really found its sea legs yet. —

Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 7 Feb. 2025 For most of us, meetings are the bane of our existence. —

Stackcommerce Team (sponsored), PCMAG, 3 Feb. 2025 Tips for Buying Ski Goggles Look for anti-fog lenses Fogging goggles are the bane of my existence, and these days, most goggles (including everything on our list) come with some type of anti-fog treatment or material. —

Maggie Slepian, Travel + Leisure, 24 Jan. 2025 Brandy, plays the bane of her existence — her college friend Jackie Jennings, who sends out an annual Christmas newsletter rhapsodizing her perfect, unattainable life. —

Laura Bradley, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bane

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, "killer, agent of death, death," going back to Old English bana "killer, agent of death," going back to Germanic *banan- (whence also Old Frisian bana, bona "killer," Old High German bano "killer, murderer," Old Norse bani "murderer, violent death"), of uncertain origin

Note: Another Germanic derivative from the same base is represented by Old English benn (feminine strong noun) "wound, sore," Old Saxon beniwunda, Old Norse ben "wound," Gothic banja "blow, wound." Attempts have been made to derive the etymon from Indo-European *g^when- "strike, kill" (see defend), but the general view is that initial *g^wh could not yield b in Germanic. See further discussion in Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Althochdeutschen, Band 1, pp. 460-61.

Verb

derivative of bane entry 1

Noun (2)

early Scots and northern Middle English ban, bane, going back to Old English bān — more at bone entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2d

Verb

1578, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1578, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of bane was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Bane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bane. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.

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Kids Definition

bane

noun

ˈbān

: poison entry 1 sense 1

: a source of harm, ruin, or unhappiness

greed is the bane of humanity

Medical Definition

bane

noun

ˈbān

: poison see henbane

Last Updated: 16 Feb 2025 - Updated example sentences

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bane

noun (1)

verb

noun (2)

Synonyms

Examples of bane in a Sentence

Word History

Dictionary Entries Near bane

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Medical Definition