Dictionary

bogeyman en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈboʊ.ɡiˌmæn/ (US)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈbu.ɡiˌmæn/ (US)
• /ˈbʊɡ.iˌmæn/ (US)
• /ˈbu.ɡiˌmæn/ (Canada)
• /ˈbəʊ.ɡiˌmæn/ (UK)
• /ˈbəʊ.ɡɪˌmæn/ (UK)

Etymology

Etymology tree English bogey Proto-Indo-European *mon- Proto-Germanic *mann- Proto-West Germanic *mann Old English mann Middle English man Middle English -man English -man English bogeyman From bogey + -man.

Meanings

1. A menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories.
   • Lay your head down child I won't let the boogeyman come Counting bodies like sheep To the rhythm of the war drums Pay no mind to the rabble Pay no mind to the rabble Head down, go to sleep To the rhythm of the war drums 2003, “Pet”, performed by A Perfect Circle:
   • Near-synonyms: bogeyperson, bogeywoman
2. (broadly, figuratively) Any make-believe threat, especially one used to intimidate or distract, or a real threat greatly exaggerated for those purposes; often taking the form of a notorious historical personage suggested to return as a revenant to punish for wrongdoing.
   • With no original ideas or solutions, they've now resorted to bringing out a tried-and-tested bogeymen in a last-ditch attempt to derail much-needed legislation. 2009 November 11, Anthony Tarricone, “Blaming lawyers a bogeyman to stop health reform”, in CNN, archived from the original on 10 May 2013:
   • The bogeyman of a Halloween-candy poisoner behind every door has animated occasional moral panics against trick-or-treating.
   • "They wanted liberty. Freedom from England, perhaps from us as well. But they could not raise the country with such airy aspirations. In Kilpeder they managed to scrape together some fifty men, and this was one of the more impressive hostings. The fellow in command was a fire-eater. There is a ballad about him." "'Clonbrony Wood'," Tom said. "Ned Nolan. He has become the local bogey man." 1987, Thomas Flanagan, novel: The Tenants of Time chapter 12
   • If there’s a down side to the film, it’s that “Soros” probably doesn’t devote enough time to the way its subject has become a favorite bogeyman to conservatives that paint him as the guiding hand behind grassroots campaigns by those intent on discrediting them. 2020 November 18, Brian Lowry, “‘Soros’ looks at the life and activism of the right’s favorite bogeyman”, in CNN, archived from the original on 05 Mar 2026:
   • Before the Internet it was television. And, if not that, it was radio, films, or games. All have taken their turn as the popular bogeyman, blighting the minds of the young. 2013, Frances Booth, The Distraction Trap:
   • Near-synonyms: bug-a-boo, bugaboo, chimera
   • The specter of an election-vote recount is this year's political bogeyman.

Forms

Coordinates

goblin

Synonyms

bogeywoman · bugaboo · bogey · chimera · bugbear · bug-a-boo · bogeyperson · bugaboo · bug-a-boo

Translations (92)

sh babaroga (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · ja ブギーマン (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · eu hamalau-zaku (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · ru домово́й (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · es cucuy (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · de Schreckgespenst (any make-believe threat) · hu krampusz (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · gl sacamanteigas (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · tg буҷӣ (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · fr croque-mitaine (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · sv buse (any make-believe threat) · cs bubák (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · ru бу́ка (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · da bussemand (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · ru страши́лище (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · da bussemand (any make-believe threat) · sh бабарога (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · et koll (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · cs strašidlo (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · es hombre del saco (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · ru жу́пел (any make-believe threat) · tr canavar (any make-believe threat) · pt papa-figos (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · nl boeman (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · gl coco (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · tr öcü (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · es sacamantecas (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · nl bietebauw (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · pl straszydło (any make-believe threat) · nrf barbou (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · ltg buba (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · fi mörkö (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · cmn 怪物 (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · nrf croque-mitaine (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · sv buse (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · sq gogol (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · es coco (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · gl sacaúntos (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · hu mumus (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · it spauracchio (any make-believe threat) · pt homem do saco (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · ary بوعو (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · da bøhmand (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · pl czarny lud (any make-believe threat) · tr gulyabani (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · no busemann (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · gl papón (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · ar بُعْبُع (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · lad bambaruto (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · tr umacı (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · ta பூச்சாண்டி (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · ro baubau (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · lt bubulis (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · ro omul negru (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · es cuco (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · tr hortlak (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · de Schreckgespenst (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · de Butzemann (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · vi ngoáo ộp (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · ko 부기맨 (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · tl mumu (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · vi ông ba bị (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · pt bicho-papão (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · da bøhmand (any make-believe threat) · ru бу́гимен (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · tr karakoncolos (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · lt baubas (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · ro gogoriță (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · lv bubulis (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · tl mumò (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · pl czarny lud (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · el μπαμπούλας (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · grc μορμολυκεῖον (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · ja 小鬼 (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · ru пу́гало (any make-believe threat) · ko 꼬마 도깨비 (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · it uomo nero (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · tr öcü (any make-believe threat) · mk Баба Рога (any make-believe threat) · it babau (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · la larva (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · tr korkutku (any make-believe threat) · mk Баба Рога (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · cmn 魔鬼 (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · ru баба́й (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · fi mörkö (any make-believe threat) · cs strašák (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · eo infantimigulo (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · ca home del sac (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · ca papu (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · ary بو خنشة (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories) · fa لولو (menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories)