# bogeyman

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈbəʊ.ɡɪˌmæn/ · frequency rank #52,813

## Definitions
1. A menacing, ghost-like monster in children's stories.
2. Any make-believe threat, especially one used to intimidate or distract; a real threat greatly exaggerated for those purposes.

## Etymology
From bogey + -man.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/bogeyman