Crossword Genius

Source of needless fear (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

bugbear

(Other definitions for bugbear that I've seen before include "Cause of excessive anxiety" , "[BOGYMAN]" , "pet hate" , "Object of obsessive, foolish fear" , "something terrible" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.