variants
also bogies
1
as in dreads
something or someone that causes fear or dread especially without reason
math and math tests have long been bogeys for many students
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in spirits
the soul of a dead person thought of especially as appearing to living people
the child believed bogeys lived in the closet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bogeys
Fitzpatrick had a pair of early bogeys that dropped him six behind Chacarra through five holes of the final round at DLF Golf and Country Club.
—
ABC News, 29 Mar. 2026
Ghim shot 67, making an eagle on the par-5 11th, then giving back the strokes with bogeys on 15 and 16.
—Dallas Morning News, 20 Mar. 2026
In his first four starts at the Players, Young averaged nearly four bogeys-or-worse per round.
—Justin Ray, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2026
Fleetwood had two bogeys and a birdie on the front nine but settled down from there.
—Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Bhatia did enough early with six birdies in seven holes at the start of his round that even going the last 11 holes with two bogeys and no birdies didn't cost him the lead.
—Arkansas Online, 15 Feb. 2026
Connell hit one birdie, five bogeys and 11 pars in addition to the eagle to reach his score.
—Jack Murray, Boston Herald, 27 Oct. 2025
The opening round of the DP World India Championship at Delhi Golf Club delivered more than just birdies and bogeys on Thursday.
—Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
ABC News, 29 Mar. 2026
Ghim shot 67, making an eagle on the par-5 11th, then giving back the strokes with bogeys on 15 and 16.
—Dallas Morning News, 20 Mar. 2026
In his first four starts at the Players, Young averaged nearly four bogeys-or-worse per round.
—Justin Ray, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2026
Fleetwood had two bogeys and a birdie on the front nine but settled down from there.
—Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Bhatia did enough early with six birdies in seven holes at the start of his round that even going the last 11 holes with two bogeys and no birdies didn't cost him the lead.
—Arkansas Online, 15 Feb. 2026
Connell hit one birdie, five bogeys and 11 pars in addition to the eagle to reach his score.
—Jack Murray, Boston Herald, 27 Oct. 2025
The opening round of the DP World India Championship at Delhi Golf Club delivered more than just birdies and bogeys on Thursday.
—Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bogeys
Noun
-
Mirror images except for the fact that Jelani has his hair in dreads, while Ari goes with the more retro-look afro.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 Feb. 2026
-
But the have-funs and the have-existential-dreads of the hockey community are every bit as clear.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
12 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Ancient Mayans later believed cenotes were sacred portals to the underworld, where gods and spirits dwelled.—
Ryan Brennan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Ancient Mayans believed cenotes were sacred portals to the underworld, where gods and spirits dwelled.—
Ryan Brennan
April 4,
Miami Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Boston, who serves as showrunner, creator, writer, and executive producer of the series has been ruminating on its terrors and delights for awhile now.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Film will ultimately survive as a medium even in the face of overwhelming terrors.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Acosta’s bright shapes could be seen as apparitions of a sort.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
30 Mar. 2026
-
On top of these apparitions, a human foe, whose motives for committing a crime seem rather nebulous, also exists.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Best Supporting Actress One of Hickey’s bugaboos is the way the supporting races have often been gift-wrapped early, with co-leads like Emilia Pérez’s Zoe Saldaña and A Real Pain’s Kieran Culkin sweeping to victory.—
Nate Jones,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Now, for one of their chief bugaboos — a primary culprit for the mediocre record through 32 games.—
Joe Vardon,
New York Times,
25 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Then, in an act of generosity, Isaac gifts Jay’s recliner to the basement ghosts.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
1 Apr. 2026
-
That’s how ghosts come to haunt a place.—
JD Barker,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
These flowers support insects with small mouthparts, including parasitoid wasps, small native bees, lacewings, and syrphid flies – all excellent natural enemies of cucumber pests and a few that also provide pollination.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Bondi's replacement will have to answer for much bigger changes at the traditionally apolitical Justice Department, which for the first time in recent history has actively pursued investigations into the president's political enemies under Bondi's leadership.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While the lunar far side will be only partially lit during the flyby, the lighting is set to cast long shadows that highlight craters, ridges, and slopes in greater detail.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Apr. 2026
-
But in the shadows, amid growing unease at the bloodthirsty actions of the realm’s merciless Mad King, dissenters from his inner circle anxiously advance a treasonous plot.—
Ryan Brennan
April 3,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bogeys.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bogeys. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
