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
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
Range anxiety, the bugaboo of all-electric driving, is even more frightening for all-electric flying, where running out of power has worse consequences than having to pull over to the side of the road.
—
IEEE Spectrum, 9 June 2017
One of the chief bugaboos for fossil fuel interests is a movement among the states to create Superfund-like programs that would require polluters to pay for damages caused by climate change disasters.
—Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 13 Apr. 2025
The good news: Shelter prices, last year’s bugaboo, appear to be heading down, economists note.
—Andrew Ross Sorkin, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Another looming bugaboo: Father Time, which Rocky says is undefeated.
—Anthony Stitt, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bugaboo
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IEEE Spectrum, 9 June 2017
One of the chief bugaboos for fossil fuel interests is a movement among the states to create Superfund-like programs that would require polluters to pay for damages caused by climate change disasters.
—Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 13 Apr. 2025
The good news: Shelter prices, last year’s bugaboo, appear to be heading down, economists note.
—Andrew Ross Sorkin, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Another looming bugaboo: Father Time, which Rocky says is undefeated.
—Anthony Stitt, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bugaboo
Cite this Entry
“Bugaboo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bugaboo. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
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