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 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 Piker, who earlier this year appeared on the campaign trail with El-Sayed, is a major influence among progressives and a bogeyman to establishment Republicans and Democrats alike. — Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 3 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 Damac, sitting 15th in the SPL and requiring a point against Al Nassr to guarantee survival, were the team hoping to be the latest bogeyman in Ronaldo’s quest to be a champion in his fifth country, his eighth league triumph in 24 years. — Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 21 May 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 7 Sep. 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

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for bogeyman

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