boggle

1 of 2

verb

bog·​gle ˈbä-gəl 

boggled; boggling ˈbä-g(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: to start with fright or amazement : be overwhelmed

the mind boggles at the research needed

2

: to hesitate because of doubt, fear, or scruples

transitive verb

1

: mishandle, bungle

2

: to overwhelm with wonder or bewilderment

boggle the mind

boggle noun

boggle

2 of 2

noun

bog·​gle ˈbä-gəl 

less common variant of bogle

dialectal British

: goblin, specter

also : an object of fear or loathing

Synonyms of boggle

Verb

• blow
• fumble
• ruin
• spoil

Examples of boggle in a Sentence

Verb

I boggled my first effort to make homemade pasta

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The line of aircraft coming in for a landing looks mind boggling to handle but the ATC’s do it without incident. — Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Why someone would want a plush Javert, even in bear form, boggles the mind. — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 30 July 2026

Just thinking about how much true, false, and plain crazy stuff has been written about you boggles the mind. — Bryan West, USA Today, 12 June 2026

Go Fishing The amount and variety of fish in Lake Superior boggles the mind. — Robert Annis, Midwest Living, 7 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

perhaps from bogle

First Known Use

Verb

1598, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Rhymes for boggle

• goggle
• moghul
• toggle

Kids Definition

boggle

verb

bog·​gle ˈbä-gəl 

boggled; boggling -g(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to start with fright or amazement

the mind boggles at the effort

2

: to hesitate because of doubt or fear

3

: to overwhelm with wonder or confusion

boggles the mind

boggle noun