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bogeyman

or bo·gy·man, boog·er·man, boog·ey·man, boog·ie·man

[ boo g-ee-man, boh-gee-, boo- ]

/ ˈbʊg iˌmæn, ˈboʊ gi-, ˈbu- /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR bogeyman ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural bo·gey·men.

an imaginary evil character of supernatural powers, especially a mythical hobgoblin supposed to carry off naughty children.

Origin of bogeyman

1885–90; bogey¹ (variant of bogy¹, in the sense “a hobgoblin, evil spirit”) + man¹

Words nearby bogeyman

bogart, humphrey, bogbean, bogey, bogey hole, bogey-hole, bogeyman, boggart, bogger, bogging, boggle, boggle the mind

Example sentences from the Web for bogeyman

What went before, an interim framework agreement that caused a great deal of controversy, is no longer the bogeyman.

P5+1 Talks Drill Down On The Future Of Iran’s Nukes |Michael Adler |February 20, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Insurance is a large and varied industry, and frequently plays the heavy and bogeyman, especially the health insurers.

The Insurance Industry’s Liberal Turn |Daniel Gross |July 10, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
“China has replaced Japan as the bogeyman of East Asia in terms of international investment,” said Milhaupt.

Softbank’s Acquisition of Sprint Latest Big Japanese Buy |Matthew Zeitlin |October 16, 2012 |DAILY BEAST
Hamas remains the bogeyman, much as the PLO was, before Madrid and Oslo, but with some crucial differences.

Why the Left Should Not Call for Talks with Hamas |Don Futterman |August 22, 2012 |DAILY BEAST

Decoding the laugh track of the CNN Debate in Arizona, featuring references to George Costanza and bogeyman Mike Dukakis.

Tactical Humorist: Gingrich Referees, Romney Channels Costanza, Santorum on Dukakis |Mark Katz |February 24, 2012 |DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for bogeyman

bogeyman

/ (ˈbəʊɡɪˌmæn) /

noun plural -men

a person, real or imaginary, used as a threat, esp to children