Unconscionable Love, bane and tormentor of mankind, parent of strife, fountain of tears, source of a thousand ills.
Source: tatoeba (5866992)
Bane
/beɪn/
Synonyms for "bane" (157 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (32)
Noun(4 words)
abominationannihilationatrocitybadbefoulmentbete noirebiological deathblightbloodbloodlettingbloodshedbrainingbugbearburdencalamitycessation of lifeclinical deathcontagioncorruptioncoup de grace
Strong matches (47)
debt of naturedeceasedefilementdemisedeparturedespoliationdestroyerdestructiondestruction of lifedetrimentdiseasedispatchdissolutiondoomdownfalldyingebb of lifeendend of lifeending
Show 25 more words
eternal resteuthanasiaevilexecutionexitexpirationexterminationextinctionextinguishmentfatefinal summonsfinger of deathflow of bloodfly in the ointmentgoinggoing offgoregravegrievancehand of deathharmhavocheadachehurtill
Related words (78)
immolationinfectioninflictioninjuryjaws of deathkillkillingknelllapidationlast debtlast musterlast restlast rounduplast sleepleaving lifeloss of lifemaking an endmalicemartyrdommartyrization
Show 48 more words
mercy killingmischiefoutragepartingpassingpassing awaypassing overperishingpestpestilenceplacidpoisonpoisoningpollutionquietusreleaserestrewardritual killingritual murderruinruinationsacrificesentence of deathshades of deathshadow of deathshootingslaughterslayingsleepsnake in the grasssomatic deathstoningsummons of deathtaking of lifethe worstthorntormenttoxintrialulcerundoingvenomvexationvirusvisitationwoewrong
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: curse, scourge, abomination, affliction, annihilation.
- Sentence evidence is available for bane, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "bane".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "bane"
Keep "bane" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "bane" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "bane", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "bane" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
8 entriesMore specific
9 entriesCollocations
5 entriesbane of civilizationbane of existencebane of progressbaneful influencedeadly bane
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
3 entriesTranslations
59 translations across 22 languages.
Ancient Greek
2 entries- δήλημα noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- ὄλεθρος noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
Bulgarian
2 entries- зло noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- напаст noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
Catalan
2 entries- desgràcia noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- flagell noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
Czech
2 entries- prokletí noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- trápení noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
Danish
1 entries- bane noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
Dutch
1 entries- verderf noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
Finnish
4 entries- kirous noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- maanvaiva noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- riesa noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- vitsaus noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
French
4 entries- calamité noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- cauchemar noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- drame noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- fléau noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
Galician
3 entries- azoute noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- desgraza noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- flaxelo noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
German
2 entries- Ruin noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- Verderben noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
Hungarian
2 entries- csapás noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- rontás noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
Irish
1 entries- urbhaidh noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
Italian
4 entries- disgrazia noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- flagello noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- piaga noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- rovina noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
Macedonian
3 entries- зло noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- на́паст noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- про́клетство noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
Norwegian Bokmål
1 entries- bane noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
Persian
1 entries- یمان noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
Portuguese
4 entries- desgraça noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- desventura noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- flagelo noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- maldição noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
Russian
4 entries- бич noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- ги́бель noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- зло noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- напа́сть noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
Spanish
4 entries- desgracia noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- maldición noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- perdición noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- quebranto noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
Swedish
1 entries- bane noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
Turkish
2 entries- felaket noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- yıkım noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
Ukrainian
4 entries- загибель noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- зло noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- напасть noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
- прокляття noun (cause of misery or ruin — see also affliction, nightmare, hardship)
Sample sentences
35 total sentences available.
Mosquitoes are the bane of my existence.
Source: tatoeba (6118377)
But she had heard, how men of Trojan seed / those Tyrian towers should level, how again / from these in time a nation should proceed, / wide-ruling, tyrannous in war, the bane / (so Fate was working) of the Libyan reign.
Source: tatoeba (6778875)
This cat is the bane of my life.
Source: tatoeba (6954711)
Showing 4 of 35 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "bane"?
Closest matches include curse, scourge, abomination, affliction, annihilation.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "bane"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.