boogeyman

noun

boo·​gey·​man ˈbu̇-gē-ˌman How to pronounce boogeyman (audio)
ˈbü-
variants or less commonly boogerman

Examples of boogeyman in a Sentence

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.
Aging and postpartum bodies could quickly go down in history as scarier than the boogeyman. Essence, 5 Dec. 2024 The biggest riser across the promotion is 185-pound boogeyman Khamzat Chimaev. Brian Mazique, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024 Graduate student Helen Lyle (Virginia Madsen) summons the urban legend boogeyman known as Candyman (Tony Todd) into existence, unleashing a torrent of pain and death against the backdrop of urban decay in a Chicago housing project. Meagan Navarro, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2024 The album arrives a few weeks after Tuesday’s election (Nov. 5), where topics of transgender care and existence have become an ideological boogeyman for the right-wing and their candidate, Donald Trump. Stephen Daw, Billboard, 1 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for boogeyman 

Word History

Etymology

by alteration

First Known Use

circa 1850, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of boogeyman was circa 1850

Dictionary Entries Near boogeyman

Cite this Entry

“Boogeyman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boogeyman. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!