bugaboo

noun

bug·​a·​boo ˈbə-gə-ˌbü How to pronounce bugaboo (audio)
plural bugaboos
1
: an imaginary object of fear
2
: bugbear sense 2
also : something that causes fear or distress out of proportion to its importance

Examples of bugaboo in a Sentence

politicians complaining about that old bugaboo, high oil prices doing one's tax returns is a real bugaboo for a lot of people
Recent Examples on the Web Cleaning the defensive glass has been a bugaboo for the Hoosiers all season, and Purdue is among the best offensive-rebounding teams in the country. Zach Osterman, The Indianapolis Star, 16 Jan. 2024 Turnovers have become the all too-frequent bugaboo for Bills QB Josh Allen, who led the AFC individually with 22 giveaways in 2023 (only Commanders QB Sam Howell had more with 23). Chris Bumbaca, USA TODAY, 15 Jan. 2024 In a new look, my beloved Portland Museum of Art in Maine slathered its fine American art collection with settler-colonialist ideology, mostly surrounding Maine’s Wabanaki natives and, of course, the bugaboo slavery. Brian T. Allen, National Review, 21 Dec. 2023 The Rain The bugaboo of the Niners’ all game, the precipitation subsided a bit for the game-winning drive, only to come back — with authority — for the Packers’ last possession of the game. Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 20 Jan. 2024 Ever since Henry Hudson sailed through the Narrows, change has been New York’s mantra and bugaboo. Michael Kimmelman, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2023 Those narrow losses dropped Arkansas to 5-12 in one-score games under Pittman, a .294 winning percentage and the same kind of confounding tight-game bugaboo record that frustrated the Bret Bielema regime at Arkansas under which Pittman served from 2013-15. Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2023 But Smiley ran on a theme of improving quality of life for residents, and the ATVs are a bugaboo. Dan McGowan, BostonGlobe.com, 5 Apr. 2023 Republicans also have been hard at work fanning the flames of various culture wars in recent years—including anti–environmental, social, and governance, or ESG, investment sentiment, which has rapidly become a top Republican bugaboo. Molly Taft, The New Republic, 1 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bugaboo.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

earlier buggybow, bugger-bo, of unknown origin

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bugaboo was in 1598

Dictionary Entries Near bugaboo

Cite this Entry

“Bugaboo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bugaboo. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bugaboo

noun
bug·​a·​boo ˈbəg-ə-ˌbü How to pronounce bugaboo (audio)
plural bugaboos

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