noun
- plural of bogeyman; imaginary evil beings used to frighten children
- people or things that are unreasonably feared or disliked
Usage: figurative
Examples
- Parents shouldn’t use bogeymen to scare their children into behaving.
- The old house was said to be full of bogeymen and ghosts.
- Politicians often create bogeymen to distract from real issues.
- She realized her childhood fears of bogeymen were just imagination.
- The media sometimes turns certain groups into bogeymen.
- Don’t let imaginary bogeymen keep you awake at night.