boondoggle
noun
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Boondoggle Started With the Scouts
When boondoggle popped up in the early 1900s, lots of people tried to explain where the word came from. One theory traced it to an Ozarkian word for "gadget," while another related it to the Tagalog word that gave us boondocks. Another hypothesis suggested that boondoggle came from the name of leather toys Daniel Boone supposedly made for his dog. But the only theory that is supported by evidence is much simpler. In the 1920s, Robert Link, a scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of America, apparently coined the word to name the braided leather cords made and worn by scouts. The word came to prominence when such a boondoggle was presented to the Prince of Wales at the 1929 World Jamboree, and it's been with us ever since. Over time, it developed the additional sense describing a wasteful or impractical project.
Examples of boondoggle in a Sentence
Ben Smith, semafor.com, 18 May 2026
The acquisition of Vivint was originally considered a boondoggle by investors and contributed to a previous CEO’s ouster over two years ago.
—Jordan Blum, Fortune, 17 May 2026
What looked like a boondoggle on draft day may now be a bargain, as Tama made the singles final and the doubles bronze medal at the Atlanta Slam.
—Todd Boss, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
With the legislature seemingly ready to reduce transparency into this boondoggle, the rail project will only get worse and more expensive for taxpayers if state leaders don’t pull the plug.
—Baruch Feigenbaum, Oc Register, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for boondoggle
Cite this Entry
“Boondoggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boondoggle. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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