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

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. bogeyman, bugbear, bugaboo, boogeyman, boogernoun

   an imaginary monster used to frighten children

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

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.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

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.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

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.

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

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.

Matched Categories

1. • Monster

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

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Anagrams for bogeyman »

1. moneybag

How to pronounce bogeyman?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say bogeyman in sign language?

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. 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.

4. 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.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=bogeyman
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Bogeyman
3. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bogeyman
4. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
5. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=bogeyman
6. ^ Usage in printed sources
   https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=bogeyman