variants
also bogyman
as in specter
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Recent Examples of bogeyman
The Antifa that Trump is always invoking as an all-purpose bogeyman—some lethal, disciplined underground network that resembles the Irish Republican Army—does not exist.
—
Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 15 Nov. 2025
To the Truman administration, which green-lit the plot, Árbenz's regard for the rural poor also smacked of communism, the era's bogeyman.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 14 Nov. 2025
While many regard it as a digital bogeyman that will usher in he end of times, when the subject was broached during the stunt panel, the reaction was surprisingly sanguine.
—Todd Longwell, Variety, 14 Nov. 2025
Adrian Morejon struck out one in 2 1/3 scoreless innings and gave way to the San Diego bogeyman Mason Miller, who cranked it up to 104 mph in a strikeout of Carson Kelly and struck out five in 1 2/3 innings.
—Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bogeyman
Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 15 Nov. 2025
To the Truman administration, which green-lit the plot, Árbenz's regard for the rural poor also smacked of communism, the era's bogeyman.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 14 Nov. 2025
While many regard it as a digital bogeyman that will usher in he end of times, when the subject was broached during the stunt panel, the reaction was surprisingly sanguine.
—Todd Longwell, Variety, 14 Nov. 2025
Adrian Morejon struck out one in 2 1/3 scoreless innings and gave way to the San Diego bogeyman Mason Miller, who cranked it up to 104 mph in a strikeout of Carson Kelly and struck out five in 1 2/3 innings.
—Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bogeyman
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bogeyman
Noun
-
More recently, the specter of legal actions surfaced in a much lighter vein.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Katerra still hangs over the industry like a specter.—
CalMatters,
Mercury News,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Coach Brad Willis’ team responded to the setback by shaking off the loss plus the demons of a first-round exit in Division 1 last season.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Mikaela Shiffrin can now leave her Olympics demons behind.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The Devil’s Museum, a satellite of the main collection, has amassed more than 3,000 depictions of demons, evil spirits and incubus from around the world.—
Joe Yogerst,
Forbes.com,
22 Apr. 2025
-
Your fame sits beside you like an incubus, and people are embarrassed and want to leave the room.—
Candace Bushnell,
Vogue,
23 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Here was music that pushed the genre back to the realm of ghosts and ghouls, the ideal soundtrack for doing battle with Dracula on the spiral staircase of his manor.—
Sam Goldner,
Pitchfork,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Even a half-century later, the undead ghouls that descend upon survivors in a Pennsylvania farm house are timeless and the gut-punch ending couldn't be more timely.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The Stygiomedusa gigantea, commonly known as the giant phantom jelly, was filmed at 250 meters below the surface.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Old Town The belltower looms like a phantom.—
Chen Yuhong,
The Dial,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The bond between a rider and their banshee doesn't break, and chances are your bond with this two-figure set won't either.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
19 Dec. 2025
-
Then, like an alarm clock, howler monkeys unleashed their banshee shriek, staking their territory as the sun rose.—
Ryan Knighton,
AFAR Media,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
What first reads like random abuse escalates into a relentless campaign of terror against Mats and his family, as the situation begins to uncover a dark, multi-layered story rooted more than 40 years earlier.—
Emiliano De Pablos,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2026
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But also the pesky ones, like your terror and your existential dread.—
Catherine Mevs,
New Yorker,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Mykal-Michelle Harris from Raven’s Home guest-stars as Ruby, a mischievous moon imp who tricks Vee.—
Allison McClain Merrill,
Parents,
27 Oct. 2025
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It’s believed that the 13th-century castle is haunted by a magical imp who frequently visits the Markomanka and Hlíza, or black, towers.—
Sophie Friedman,
AFAR Media,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bogeyman.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bogeyman. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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