variants
also bogyman
as in spectre
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 bogeyman
As backlash to Tesla and Musk grows, the White House is doubling down on its defense of the company and the richest person in the world, who has become a bogeyman for the administration as critics blame him for the government overhaul.
—
Alex Gangitano, The Hill, 21 Mar. 2025
Keynes, the seminal advocate of government intervention in times of economic unrest, was a longtime bogeyman for small-government conservatives.
—Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2024
Fracking is not the bogeyman that has been pushed and misrepresented by zealous groups of anti-frackers.
—Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024
After the 2023 Supreme Court ruling, which deemed affirmative action in university admissions unconstitutional, attacks on DEI proliferated, and the term became a right-wing bogeyman blamed for almost anything that goes wrong in any workplace.
—Kizzy Cox, Essence, 11 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bogeyman
Alex Gangitano, The Hill, 21 Mar. 2025
Keynes, the seminal advocate of government intervention in times of economic unrest, was a longtime bogeyman for small-government conservatives.
—Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2024
Fracking is not the bogeyman that has been pushed and misrepresented by zealous groups of anti-frackers.
—Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024
After the 2023 Supreme Court ruling, which deemed affirmative action in university admissions unconstitutional, attacks on DEI proliferated, and the term became a right-wing bogeyman blamed for almost anything that goes wrong in any workplace.
—Kizzy Cox, Essence, 11 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bogeyman
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bogeyman
Noun
-
Climate change, Brandt insists, is not some distant specter but a crisis unfolding now, disproportionately affecting those least responsible for it.—
Lee Sharrock,
Forbes.com,
17 Apr. 2025
-
That’s still the specter that lingers in everyone’s mind on this issue.—
Meg Linehan,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Between cases, Harvey confronted his demons and by the series’ 2019 finale was a married man headed to Seattle to reunite with his sidekick to do some legal good for the little guys.—
Yvonne Villarreal,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Apr. 2025
-
Based on a book inspired by Chinese mythology, Ne Zha 2 tells the story of Ne Zha, a demon child raised by humans who is hunting for a magical potion to reanimate his friend, the dragon prince Ao Bing, whose body has been destroyed by a lightning strike.—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes.com,
20 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The Devil’s Museum, a satellite of the main collection, has amassed more than 3,000 depictions of demons, evil spirits and incubus from around the world.—
Joe Yogerst,
Forbes.com,
22 Apr. 2025
-
Your fame sits beside you like an incubus, and people are embarrassed and want to leave the room.—
Candace Bushnell,
Vogue,
23 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Other than a bartender and the dead girl in the corner — a mannequin, dressed like a ghoul, in a long white gown and pale make-up.—
Christopher Borrelli,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2025
-
Check out the Halloween decoration ideas below and get ready to unleash your inner ghoul.—
Maria Correa,
Miami Herald,
3 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The computer daemon operates in a similar manner, continuously working behind the scenes to keep processes going and to address service requests.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
23 Oct. 2024
-
Yet in their original form gremlins are alive and well, living under new names—daemons, worms, virtual pets.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
23 Oct. 2024
Noun
-
Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound Mapping algorithm, which can create a phantom 5.1.4 system or higher from just four speakers, inspired vivid sonic immersion.—
Ryan Waniata,
Wired News,
2 Apr. 2025
-
To combat such phantoms, Georgian Dream has passed new legislation that criminalizes assembly and protest.—
Anastasiya Zavyalova,
The Conversation,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Our ears are still ringing from watching fans become shrieking banshees upon realizing that one of her professional dancers was actually the NFL star.—
Lauren Huff,
EW.com,
7 Dec. 2024
-
Does that explain why the Banshee label doesn’t depict an actual banshee?—
Noel Burgess,
Forbes,
20 Oct. 2024
Noun
-
And Dot — well, Dot keeps an imp in an old wine bottle.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Combining animation and live action, the film continues the adventures of the magical imp Pumuckl.—
Ed Meza,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bogeyman.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bogeyman. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share