SINCE 1828

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

boodle

noun boo·dle \ ˈbü-dᵊl \

Definition of boodle

1 : a collection or lot of persons : caboodle

2 a : bribe money

b : a large amount especially of money

Examples of boodle in a Sentence

a boodle of teenagers boarded the bus together
we saved a boodle by buying a house that's off the beaten path

Recent Examples of boodle from the Web

For political fundraisers, California has long been the Big Rock Candy Mountain, excavated, mined and, ultimately, shafted by candidates of both parties who use the boodle to run for president in Iowa or New Hampshire, or Congress in East Podunk.

— seema mehta, latimes.com, "Assembly Democrats denounce threats made after single-payer healthcare bill was sidelined," 30 June 2017
And the Yankees pointedly decline to share their boodle with fans in the form of cheaper tickets.

— michael powell, New York Times, "Sign Up for the Sports Newsletter," 16 Apr. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'boodle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of boodle

Dutch boedel estate, lot, from Middle Dutch; akin to Old Norse būth booth

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1828

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

boodle Synonyms

Synonyms

big bucks, bundle, earth, fortune, king's ransom, mint, pile, wad;

Antonyms

mite, peanuts, pittance, song;

Near Antonyms

petty cash, pin money, pocket money, spending money;

Related Words

bonanza, mine, treasure trove;

assets, capital, means, property, riches, wealth, wherewithal;

bread [slang], cash, chips, currency, dough, gold, jack [slang], legal tender, lucre, pelf, tender, wampum;

Learn More about boodle

See words that rhyme with boodle Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for boodle

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up boodle? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

WORD OF THE DAY

mollycoddle

play

to treat with excessive attention

BROWSE DICTIONARY

booby trap

boodie

boodle

boodle card

boodler

Test Your Vocabulary

April 2018 Words of the Day Quiz

Which is the best synonym of traduce?

Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

TAKE THE QUIZ

SCRABBLE® Sprint

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Words at Play

alt-5ae23d5d250bd

'Rather Than': Is It a Conjunction or Preposition?

It's both, and here's why.

alt-5ae227cf365c4

‘Magnate’ and ‘Magnet’: Poles Apart

This is kind of a Big Deal

All the Hits

8 obscure words for bodily harm

alt-5adf93a49b0b2

The Fossil Encased in "Case In Point"

"In point" only lives in this phrase.

Ask the Editors

2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

How we chose 'feminism'

video-title-words-of-the-year-1066

Words of the Year: 1066

Or, Why Pig Meat is Called 'Pork' and Cow Meat is Called 'Beef'

video-literally

Literally

How to use a word that (literally) drives some people nuts.

video-his-or-her

Is Singular 'They' a Better Choice?

The awkward case of 'his or her'

Word Games

rain-on-rainbow-umbrella

April 2018 Words of the Day Quiz

The rhyming verb edition.

Take the quiz

Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz

Test your knowledge of strange human behaviors.

Take the quiz

Name That Thing

Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

Take the quiz

SCRABBLE® Sprint

SCRABBLE® Sprint

SCRABBLE® fans, sharpen your skills!

Play the game

Examples: boodle in a Sentence