Synonyms

bugaboo

American

[buhg-uh-boo] / ˈbʌg əˌbu /

noun

plural

bugaboos

something that causes fear or worry; bugbear; bogy.

bugaboo British

/ ˈbʌɡəˌbuː /

noun

an imaginary source of fear; bugbear; bogey

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of bugaboo

1730–40; earlier buggybow. See bogy ¹, boo ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But the latest bugaboo from the banking lobby is the possibility of other companies rewarding customers for using stablecoins.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 9, 2025

And despite getting Anthony Rizzo to pop up for the second out, the long-ball bugaboo bit him against Volpe.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 29, 2024

“That first inning has been my bugaboo in my career,” Irvin said.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 17, 2022

To wit: a literal — if incorporeal — bugaboo, the kind that has plagued and marred many an otherwise impeccable, even artful, horror film, as this one is.

From Washington Post • Aug. 17, 2021

Here’s another bugaboo that English teachers used to get worked up over.

From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023