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
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
En route to finally winning a Super Bowl, the Colts were finally getting the upper hand on their longtime bugaboo, the Brady-Bill Belichick Patriots.
—Jim Reineking, USA Today, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for bugaboo
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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
En route to finally winning a Super Bowl, the Colts were finally getting the upper hand on their longtime bugaboo, the Brady-Bill Belichick Patriots.
—Jim Reineking, USA Today, 4 May 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 12 Jun. 2026.
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