What does bogeyman mean?

Definitions for bogeyman
ˈbʊg iˌmæn, ˈboʊ gi-, ˈbu-bo·gey·man

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word bogeyman.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. bogeyman, bugbear, bugaboo, boogeyman, boogernoun

    an imaginary monster used to frighten children

Wiktionary

  1. bogeymannoun

    A menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories.

  2. bogeymannoun

    Any make-believe threat, especially one used to intimidate or distract.

    The alleged link between Saddam Hussein and al-Qaeda turned out to be a bogeyman.

Wikipedia

  1. Bogeyman

    The Bogeyman (; also spelled boogeyman, bogyman, bogieman, boogie monster, boogieman, or boogie woogie) is a type of mythic creature used by adults to frighten children into good behavior. Bogeymen have no specific appearance and conceptions vary drastically by household and culture, but they are most commonly depicted as masculine or androgynous monsters that punish children for misbehavior. The Bogeyman or conceptually similar monsters can be found in many cultures around the world. Bogeymen may target a specific act or general misbehaviour, depending on what purpose needs serving, often based on a warning from the child's authority figure. The term is sometimes used as a non-specific personification or metonym for terror, and in some cases, the Devil.

ChatGPT

  1. bogeyman

    A bogeyman is a mythical creature or character often used by adults to frighten children into good behavior. This fictional creature is typically portrayed as evil or scary and varies in its descriptions and interpretations across different cultures and countries. It is not consistently given any specific appearance, but is generally known to be a threat to children.

Wikidata

  1. Bogeyman

    A bogeyman is an amorphous imaginary being used by adults to frighten children into compliant behaviour. The monster has no specific appearance, and conceptions about it can vary drastically from household to household within the same community; in many cases, he has no set appearance in the mind of an adult or child, but is simply a non-specific embodiment of terror. Parents may tell their children that if they misbehave, the bogeyman will get them. Bogeymen may target a specific mischief — for instance, a bogeyman that punishes children who suck their thumbs — or general misbehavior, depending on what purpose needs serving. In some cases, the bogeyman is a nickname for the devil. Bogeyman tales vary by region. The bogeyman is usually a masculine entity but can be any gender or simply androgynous.

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of bogeyman in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of bogeyman in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of bogeyman in a Sentence

  1. Jacques Schillaci:

    It's going to capture trades that wouldn't be captured by the current regulation and that's the bogeyman people would want to avoid in this proposal.

  2. Ellen Snare:

    With the uptick in interest rates, with the Fed signaling two more rate hikes this year, and with people waiting for the bogeyman around the corner, there is real worry that the loan market may be starting to turn, borrowers are getting a sense that if that happens they're going to have to pay more, so they want to get into the market sooner rather than later.

  3. Howard Means:

    Terry Norman is in a sense the second gunman on the grassy knoll ... He's been kind of a handy bogeyman or a red herring.

  4. Brett Healy:

    The accusation is so juvenile and ludicrous it cannot be taken seriously, if this rumor was even remotely credible, someone here in Wisconsin would have alerted the media and filed a complaint with the Elections Commission. Rural Wisconsin voters, who have a history of voting Democrat in presidential elections, decided that they had enough of the far left policies of President Obama and they took it out on Clinton. For the Democratic Party to attempt to blame their widespread defeat on an imaginary bogeyman is comical and a little sad.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

bogeyman#100000#114322#333333

Translations for bogeyman

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"bogeyman." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Apr. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/bogeyman>.

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    out of condition; not strong or robust; incapable of exertion or endurance
    A bibulous
    B pecuniary
    C bonzer
    D flabby

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