bogeyman
UK /ˈbəʊ.ɡɪˌmæn/ · US /ˈboʊ.ɡiˌmæn/ noun
Forms bogeymen bogieman bogyman boogieman boogeyman boogyman buggerman
- noun A menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories.
- noun (figuratively, by extension) Any make-believe threat, especially one used to intimidate or distract, or a real threat greatly exaggerated for those purposes; often taking the form of a notorious historical personage suggested to return as a revenant to punish for wrongdoing. “The bogeyman of a Halloween-candy poisoner behind every door has animated occasional moral panics against trick-or-treating.”
Synonyms
bogey bug-a-boo bugaboo bugbear bogeyperson bogeywoman chimera boogeyman booger
Etymology
From bogey + -man.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 — from the Wiktionary entry “bogeyman”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details