bugaboo
noun
bug·a·boo
ˈbə-gə-ˌbü 
plural bugaboos
1
: an imaginary object of fear
2
: bugbear sense 2
also
: something that causes fear or distress out of proportion to its importance
Synonyms of bugaboo
Examples of bugaboo in a Sentence
politicians complaining about that old bugaboo, high oil prices
doing one's tax returns is a real bugaboo for a lot of people
Recent Examples on the Web
Grappling Looks Familiar But Isn't Grappling is still likely to be the biggest bugaboo for most users.
—
Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
If there’s any big bugaboo in his profile, he can be beaten by higher-end velocity, but his ability to adjust to secondary offerings keeps him afloat.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 10 June 2026
His biggest bugaboo in May was allowing home runs.
—Jim Bowden, New York Times, 8 June 2026
The bugaboo was errors and going into the bottom of the sixth tied, errors popped up to beat them again.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for bugaboo
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Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
If there’s any big bugaboo in his profile, he can be beaten by higher-end velocity, but his ability to adjust to secondary offerings keeps him afloat.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 10 June 2026
His biggest bugaboo in May was allowing home runs.
—Jim Bowden, New York Times, 8 June 2026
The bugaboo was errors and going into the bottom of the sixth tied, errors popped up to beat them again.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for bugaboo
Cite this Entry
“Bugaboo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bugaboo. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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