bane

About 0.83 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. noun A cause of misery or ruin.

   the bane of one’s existence

2. noun Chiefly in the names of poisonous plants or substances: a poison.
3. noun Misery, woe; also, doom, ruin; or physical injury, harm.
4. noun A disease of sheep in which breakdown of tissue occurs; rot.
5. noun A person or thing that causes death or destruction; a killer, a murderer, a slayer. Death; destruction; an instance of this.
6. noun A person or thing that causes death or destruction; a killer, a murderer, a slayer.
7. noun Death; destruction; an instance of this.
8. verb To physically injure (someone or something); to harm, to hurt. To cause (someone) misery or ruin; to socially or spiritually injure (someone).

Similar words

scourge curse nemesis ruination ruin doom evil downfall cursing nightmare

Often followed by

of and to or in for was is had

Word family

baned banes baning