bogey

noun

variants also bogie or bogy
Definition of bogeynext
1
as in dread
something or someone that causes fear or dread especially without reason math and math tests have long been bogeys for many students

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in ghost
the soul of a dead person thought of especially as appearing to living people the child believed bogeys lived in the closet

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bogey Quackenbush, a 55-year-old resident of Aiken, South Carolina, carded an even-par 70 by mixing two birdies with two bogeys. — Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 31 Aug. 2026 With a bogey-free 66 on Saturday, Scheffler moved into a tie for third heading into the final round at East Lake, three shots behind leader Viktor Hovland. — Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026 The 42-year-old Topeka native had two birdies, a bogey and six pars on the front nine, making the turn at 1-under 34. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026 Whaley holed a nervy 5-foot bogey putt on the 18th hole to defeat Georgia senior Carter Loflin. — Mercury News Staff, Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bogey
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bogey
  1. dread
  2. ghost
  3. terror
  4. apparition
  5. bugaboo
  6. spirit
  7. enemy
  8. phantom
Noun
  • Part of our collective mounting dread is that this technology is far outstripping the ability, access, and time required to study its effects on human beings.
    — Laura Reiley, Vanity Fair, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Instead of fond memories of her father, Wynne was filled with dread.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of dread
Noun
  • With Abi away overseas, Firman disappears, and Gadis and a motley band of ghosts help Indah look for him.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Both will star as the central con-artist ghost hunters who stumble upon a real ghost during one of their scams.
    — Joshua Rivera, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of ghost
Noun
  • In-line fours got bigger, went a hell of a lot faster, and schooled several generations of riders in sheer terror, while simultaneously addicting them to industrial doses of adrenaline.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 10 Oct. 2026
  • More than 1,200 people – mostly civilians – were killed in the terror attack.
    — Jeremy Diamond, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of terror
Noun
  • For evening observers, this apparition has been more frustrating than triumphant, with Venus lingering low in the glow of twilight instead of climbing into a commanding position.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 5 Sep. 2026
  • One minute, the stubble field in front of his stand had been empty, and then suddenly, like an apparition, a whitetail buck had appeared.
    — Jeff Murray, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of apparition
Noun
  • Staying on the field has been his biggest bugaboo with the Red Sox.
    — Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • This thing of like trying to paint a certain type or color or class of people as the enemy and the great bugaboo in America?
    — Jim Ryan, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
Definition of bugaboo
Noun
  • Riffing on the spirit of COMO Shambhala, yoga and wellbeing is a huge focus here; an open-air pavilion hosts different sessions and therapies.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The family described the teen as a fearless, curious and deeply imaginative young man with an ambitious spirit who inspired those around him.
    — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of spirit
Noun
  • Slota’s online footprint shows a history of endorsing violence against political enemies, training with firearms, and inviting other leftists to prepare for possible armed conflict before his arrest, a Washington Examiner review found.
    — Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Dexter will also battle a new, unexpected enemy — a mid-life crisis — as Harrison (Alcott) continues his own pursuit of justice as father and son face their darkest chapter yet.
    — Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of enemy
Noun
  • Fadal brought up her own phantom smells during a recent podcast conversation with Andrea Donsky, a nutritionist who’s written about and conducted research on this symptom.
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Both phantoms were packed with thousands of dosimeters, tracking radiation dose over specific phases of the flight rather than just a cumulative total.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of phantom

Browse Nearby Words

bog (down)
bogey
bogeyman
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bogey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bogey. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on bogey

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bogey

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