bogeyman

noun

bo·​gey·​man ˈbu̇-gē-ˌman How to pronounce bogeyman (audio) ˈbō- How to pronounce bogeyman (audio)
ˈbü-, 
ˈbu̇-gər- How to pronounce bogeyman (audio)
variants or less commonly bogyman
Synonyms of bogeymannext
1
: a monstrous imaginary figure used in threatening children
2
: a terrifying or dreaded person or thing : bugbear

Examples of bogeyman in a Sentence

My aunt used to say to my sister and me, “The bogeyman will get you if you're bad.” a politician who is the familiar bogeyman of conservatives
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The school has worked hard to knock down the bogeyman perceptions. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026 El-Sayed is a handy bogeyman for Republican politicians who seek to scare their constituents into voting for them instead of the foreboding Arab name on the ballot. — Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026 The ads, some of which were run by Georgians for Integrity, a group that has dropped millions attacking Jones since 2025, used data centers as a bogeyman for Jones' alleged corruption. — Maham Javaid, NPR, 5 Sep. 2026 License-plate reading cameras could join data centers as a tech bogeyman in the US midterm elections. — J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bogeyman

Word History

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bogeyman was in 1890

Rhymes for bogeyman

See All Rhymes for bogeyman

Browse Nearby Words

bogey
bogeyman
bogfern
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bogeyman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bogeyman. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

bogeyman

noun
bo·​gey·​man ˈbu̇g-ē-ˌman How to pronounce bogeyman (audio) ˈbō-gē- How to pronounce bogeyman (audio)
ˈbü-gē-
1
: an imaginary monster used in threatening children
2
: a terrifying or dreaded person or thing

More from Merriam-Webster on bogeyman

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