bogey

1 of 3

noun (1)

bo·​gey

variants or less commonly bogie or bogy

plural bogeys also bogies

1

ˈbu̇-gē  ˈbō-  ˈbü-  : specter, phantom

2

ˈbō-gē 

also

ˈbu̇- 

or

ˈbü-  : a source of fear, perplexity, or harassment

3

\ ˈbō-​gē \ golf

a

: one stroke over par on a hole

made a bogey on the second hole

b

chiefly British, dated : an average golfer's score used as a standard for a particular hole or course

He was the sort of player who does the first two holes in one under bogey and then takes an eleven at the third.

—P. G. Wodehouse

4

ˈbō-gē  : a numerical standard of performance set up as a mark to be aimed at especially in competition

5

ˈbō-gē  : an unidentified aircraft

especially : one not positively identified as friendly and so assumed to be hostile

bogey

2 of 3

verb

bo·​gey ˈbō-gē 

bogeyed; bogeying

transitive verb

: to shoot (a hole in golf) in one over par

bogey

3 of 3

noun (2)

bo·​gey

less common spelling of bogie entry 1

1

: a low strongly built cart

2

a

chiefly British : a swiveling railway truck

b

: the driving-wheel assembly consisting of the rear four wheels of a 6-wheel automotive truck

3

: a small supporting or aligning wheel (as on the inside perimeter of a tank tread)

Synonyms of bogey

Noun (1)

• dread
• terror
• bugaboo
• enemy
• bugbear
• plague

Examples of bogey in a Sentence

Noun (1)

He made a bogey on the second hole.

He made bogey on the second hole.

Verb

She birdied the first hole but bogeyed the second hole.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Playing partner Yubol birdied the first two holes on the back nine to get to 17 under, then had six pars and a bogey — on the par-4 15th — on the final seven. — ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026

The 21-year-old Knight, who attended Foothill High School and won an individual CIF title in 2022, never led his round of 16 match until his opponent, Oklahoma State’s Gaven Lane, missed a 5-foot bogey putt on the 507-yard, par-4 18th hole. — Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2026

Verb

After birdieing in the par-4 17th to get to 13 under, Yubol bogeyed the par-4 18th for her first bogey on the week. — ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026

Cink bogeyed the second hole of the day, dropping out of the lead. — Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

probably alteration of bogle

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1826, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1897, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing bogey

• double bogey
• triple bogey

Rhymes for bogey

• yogi
• muscogee

Kids Definition

bogey

noun

bo·​gey

variants also bogy or bogie

plural bogeys also bogies

1

ˈbu̇g-ē, 

ˈbō-gē, 

ˈbü-gē

: ghost, phantom

2

ˈbō-gē

also ˈbu̇g-ē

or ˈbü-gē

: something one is afraid of especially without reason