What does the "bane" mean? Is it a synonym of "pain," perhaps? If so, could you give me some examples?

Native speaker’s answer
Rebecca
Yes, that's right! One of the synonyms of "bane" is "pain." Some others include "torment" or "distress." "Bane" means to cause great distress or annoyance. Here are some examples: Ex: I swear, doing dishes is the bane of my existence. => Very common phrase, "[something] to be the bane of one's existence/life," means it's the source of one's misfortune or unhappiness. Ex: The cold weather was the bane of camping this weekend. Ex: Not finishing this book is the bane of my editor.