boondoggle

noun

boon·​dog·​gle ˈbün-ˌdä-gəl 

-ˌdȯ-

1

: a braided cord worn by Boy Scouts as a neckerchief slide (see slide entry 2 sense 4b), hatband, or ornament

2

: a wasteful or impractical project or activity often involving graft

The project is a complete boondoggle—over budget, behind schedule, and unnecessary.

boondoggle intransitive verb

boondoggler

ˈbün-ˌdä-g(ə-)lər 

-ˌdȯ-

noun

Did you know?

Boondoggle Started With the Scouts

When boondoggle popped up in the early 1900s, lots of people tried to explain where the word came from. One theory traced it to an Ozarkian word for "gadget," while another related it to the Tagalog word that gave us boondocks. Another hypothesis suggested that boondoggle came from the name of leather toys Daniel Boone supposedly made for his dog. But the only theory that is supported by evidence is much simpler. In the 1920s, Robert Link, a scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of America, apparently coined the word to name the braided leather cords made and worn by scouts. The word came to prominence when such a boondoggle was presented to the Prince of Wales at the 1929 World Jamboree, and it's been with us ever since. Over time, it developed the additional sense describing a wasteful or impractical project.

Examples of boondoggle in a Sentence

Critics say the dam is a complete boondoggle—over budget, behind schedule, and unnecessary.

Recent Examples on the Web

Aira, Matthew’s best friend, won enough of them over for the boondoggle to proceed: What had the group been, in this last decade or so, but an ailing patient, every so often given new breath by a company member’s ministrations—a lifelong ambition for a part, for example? —Han Ong, New Yorker, 22 June 2025

Opponents, including agencies in the delta and environmental advocates, say the project is an expensive boondoggle that would harm the environment and communities, and that the state should pursue other alternatives. —Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2025

What began as a $10 billion bond measure to fund a rail project that would travel from Los Angeles to San Francisco has morphed into America’s most embarrassing boondoggle costing hundreds of billions of dollars. —Jon Coupal, Oc Register, 11 May 2025

Outside: The greatest work boondoggle of all time, ha! —Paddy O'Connell, Outside Online, 1 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

coined by Robert H. Link †1957 American scoutmaster

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for boondoggle

• goggle
• moghul
• toggle

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