boondoggle

[ boon-dog-uhl, -daw-guhl ]

noun

1. a wasteful and worthless project undertaken for political, corporate, or personal gain, typically a government project funded by taxpayers:

   Is high-speed rail a valuable addition to infrastructure, or a boondoggle?

2. work of little or no value done merely to keep or look busy.
3. a product of simple manual skill, as a plaited leather cord for the neck or a knife sheath, made typically by a camper or a scout.

verb (used with object)

, boon·dog·gled, boon·dog·gling.

1. to deceive or attempt to deceive:

   to boondoggle investors into a low-interest scheme.

verb (used without object)

, boon·dog·gled, boon·dog·gling.

1. to do work of little or no practical value merely to keep or look busy.

boondoggle

/ ˈbuːnˌdɒɡəl /

verb

1. intr to do futile and unnecessary work

noun

1. a futile and unnecessary project or work

Derived Forms

• ˈboonˌdoggler, noun

Other Words From

• boon·dog·gler noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of boondoggle¹

An Americanism dating back to 1930–35; of unknown origin

Word History and Origins

Origin of boondoggle¹

C20: said to have been coined by R. H. Link, American scoutmaster

Example Sentences

By leaving the Water Authority, our ratepayers would not have to pay a single additional dime for this boondoggle, should it eventually be approved.

From Voice of San Diego

The boondoggles, wining and dining typically done at one of the industry’s biggest events may look different this summer, although details on particulars have yet to be disclosed.

From Digiday

While the boondoggles, electric scooters swarms and exhibits may be nixed, marketers and brands are still finding ways to launch their products at the annual event.

From Digiday

In new digital ads, the GOP's Senate committee warns voters that the American Rescue Act will be a boondoggle.

From Washington Post

Without the boondoggles of curated content, profile pictures and filtered images, Clubhouse and its users value transparency, Busby said.

From Digiday

Want proof that the whole thing is nothing more than a political boondoggle?

From The Daily Beast

While that may have some positive health effects, aggressive medical therapy is also a boondoggle for drug companies.

From The Daily Beast

But really, aside from these nice side benefits, the whole thing is a boondoggle, at least it is for us.

From The Daily Beast

To the conservative Heritage Foundation, comprehensive immigration reform is an epic boondoggle.

From The Daily Beast

“The Dick Morris/Newsmax Super PAC Boondoggle,” at Media Matters.

From The Daily Beast

Related Words

• betrayal
• deceit
• disinformation
• duplicity
• falsehood
• fraud
• hypocrisy
• lying
• mendacity
• treachery
• trickery
• untruth

More About Boondoggle

What does boondoggle mean?

A boondoggle is a government project considered to have little purpose or value and to be a waste of taxpayer money.

More generally, it can refer to any work done simply to look busy. These senses of the word are based on its original, literal meaning: a decorative but otherwise useless cord of braided leather or plastic (or another such handicraft) stereotypically made by Scouts.

Boondoggle can also be used as a verb meaning to deceive. All senses of the word are primarily used in the U.S. and Canada.

Example: Critics called the mayor’s proposal for a tech hub nothing more than a boondoggle to please his political donors.

Where does boondoggle come from?

The first records of the word boondoggle come from the 1930s. The term is often attributed to American scoutmaster R.H. Link. The literal sense of the word refers to the kind of braided cords often made by Scouts, which are typically attached to things like handkerchiefs and keychains as a decoration.

Today, boondoggle is commonly associated with unnecessary government spending, especially by the U.S. federal government. A project is typically called a boondoggle by those who think it’s unnecessary and wasteful. Boondoggles are often blamed on politicians who add such expenditures into budgets as a favor to their cronies, or as a way of getting a favor in return. Boondoggle is always used in a negative way to criticize such projects as worthless or pointless, and especially as a waste of money and resources.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to boondoggle?

• boondoggler (noun)

What are some synonyms for boondoggle?

• deceive

What are some words that often get used in discussing boondoggle?

 

• government
• spending
• project
• waste
• trivial
• useless
• pointless
• worthless
• budget
• expense
• expenditure
• pork barrel

How is boondoggle used in real life?

Boondoggle is primarily an American term used in the context of politics. It’s always used negatively—unless it literally refers to the little braided trinkets made by Scouts.

yo i had no idea these were called boondoggles?? but i made them so much as a kid omg pic.twitter.com/QWWbcMnEvm

— 🌷 vicky 🌷 @ suffering like everyone else (@svartwork) April 2, 2020

Many of the same Tories trashing Ottawa for spending too much in good times (a fair criticism) were Alberta Tories who helped spend the entire resource wealth of the province, running deficits @ $100 oil and financing boondoggles like NW Upgrader's $26 billion liability. #cdnpoli

— eric denhoff (@EDenhoff) March 31, 2020

This is going to be the biggest unaccounted for boondoggle ever.

When it’s all over the public won’t have a clue where a lot of the money went.

— Sven Henrich (@NorthmanTrader) March 24, 2020

 

 

Try using boondoggle!

Which of the following words is LEAST likely to describe a boondoggle?

A. wasteful
B. pointless
C. efficient
D. useless