What Does the "Bane of My Existence" Mean? Definition, Usage & More

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Learn the origins of this phrase and how to use it correctly

Co-authored by Tristen Bonacci, MEd and Bailey Cho

Last Updated: January 23, 2025 Fact Checked

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“Bane of My Existence” Meaning & Usage

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Examples of the “Bane of My Existence”

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Origins of “Bane of My Existence”

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FAQs

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Related Phrases

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Video

You may have heard the phrase the “bane of my existence” in shows or real life, but what exactly does it mean? This phrase refers to something (or someone) that’s annoying you or making your life miserable. In this article, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about the “bane of my existence,” including its meaning, uses, origins, and related terms.

“Bane of My Existence” Definition & Origins

The “bane of my existence” describes something (or someone) that’s frustrating, annoying, or distressing you. It can be used in a serious or humorous way to exaggerate how much something is bothering you. The phrase comes from the Middle English word “bane,” which refers to something that causes pain, harm, or death.

Section 1 of 5:

“Bane of My Existence” Meaning & Usage

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The “bane of my existence” refers to something that’s annoying you. It could be a person, place, thing, or idea that’s causing you continuous distress and frustration.^{[1]
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Research source} You can use it humorously to exaggerate how terrible something is, or seriously to say that something is detracting from your happiness or quality of life.
- “Calculus homework is the bane of my existence. It never ends 😭😭😭”
- “Blue cheese is the bane of my existence. Whoever added it to my salad needs jail time!”
- “My roommate is the bane of my existence. He games until 4 AM and starts screaming when he loses. I’m seriously deciding whether to crush his console so I can sleep 😡”

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Examples of the “Bane of My Existence”

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Mention funny or serious things to describe the “bane of your existence.” From work deadlines to running out of storage space on your device, there are tons of annoying situations that can be described as the “bane of your existence.” Here are some silly and serious options you might relate to:
- Pop quizzes
- Noisy neighbors
- A full email inbox
- Burning your tongue
- Icy roads when driving
- Back-to-back meetings
- Traffic during rush hour
- Unskippable YouTube ads
- Slow drivers in the fast lane
- Losing one sock in the laundry
- Your WiFi cutting out randomly
- When people talk during movies
- Mosquitos during the summertime
- When your phone runs out of storage
- Missing the bus or train by one minute
- Forgetting your water bottle at the gym
- People who chew with their mouths open
- Forgetting to hit “save” and losing your work
- When people cancel plans at the last second
- When your sandwich falls apart halfway through eating

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Origins of “Bane of My Existence”

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The “bane of my existence” stems from the Middle English word “bane.” The word “bane” comes from the Old English word “bana,” which roughly translates to “murderer” or “destroyer.” In Middle English, “bane” evolved to mean something that caused pain, harm, or death, and it even referred to poisonous plants and substances, such as wolfsbane (a deadly perennial) and ratsbane (rat poison).^{[2]
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- In the 16th century, “bane” was frequently used in literature to describe deadly forces and threats.^{[3]
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- When people say the “bane of my existence” today, it’s used to describe less serious situations that don’t involve death or poisoning, like unreliable WiFi or an annoying coworker.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Generally, the “bane of my existence” has negative connotations because it refers to something (or someone) that causes great distress or annoyance. With that being said, some people may use it playfully or humorously, depending on context. For example, someone may refer to a loved one as “the bane of their existence” in a lighthearted and endearing way.
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What is the opposite of the “bane of my existence?” There’s no exact opposite for this expression, but a good example is something (or someone) that brings joy, happiness, or purpose to your life. Some possible opposites for “the bane of my existence” include:
- My rock
- My lifesaver
- My happy place
- My saving grace
- My guardian angel
- The light of my love
- My favorite person in the whole world
Anthony Bridgerton says this iconic line to Kate Sharma in season 2 of Netflix’s widely popular period series Bridgerton. It means he thinks Kate is a royal pain, but can’t stop obsessing over her. In other words, it encapsulates the classic “enemies to lovers” trope or “love-hate” dynamic.

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Related Phrases

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“Pet peeve” A pet peeve is something that you find especially annoying.^{[4]
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Research source} It usually refers to a minor annoyance that bothers you more than the average person, such as weak coffee or people who walk slowly on the street.
- “Littering is one of my biggest pet peeves 🤬”
- “My pet peeve is when people smack their gum 😤😤😤”
- “I hate when people don’t respond to my texts, then post a story on IG. It’s my ultimate peeve!”
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“Pain in the neck” This informal phrase refers to something or someone that is very annoying. It’s the polite variant of the phrases “pain in the butt” or “pain in the a**.”^{[5]
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- “Trying to parallel park is a real pain in the neck 😫”
- “My little brother is a pain in the neck. He keeps ratting me out to my parents!”
- “This weather is such a pain in the neck. It’s too hot to wear a long sleeve but too cold to wear a short sleeve.”
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“Thorn in my side” This expression describes someone or something that continuously causes problems for you.^{[6]
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Research source} In other words, it’s an ongoing problem, irritation, or challenge in your life.
- “His ex is a real thorn in his side. She keeps exposing him on social media.”
- “Group projects are the thorn in my side. I always end up doing most of the work 😡”
- “My injury has been a real thorn in my side the last few months. I can’t even do a push up anymore.”