# bogey

/ˈboʊɡi/ (US) · /bˈəʊɡi/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bogey
Updated: 2026-06-09

## Definition

a thing that people are afraid of or keep worrying about — and, in old stories, a goblin or monster that frightens children (a bogeyman).

For teachers: (noun) a source of fear, dread, or persistent anxiety — 'the bogey of inflation' — and, in folklore, an evil spirit or hobgoblin (the bogeyman). 'Bogey' also carries several unrelated senses: in golf, a score of one stroke over par; in military and aviation use, an unidentified or hostile aircraft on radar; and in British informal speech, a piece of dried nasal mucus. (Note the separate spelling 'bogie' for a railway wheel assembly.)

## Examples

- As a child, she was sure a bogey was hiding under the bed.
- For years, rising inflation was the bogey that haunted every government budget.
- Parents once invoked a nameless bogey to enforce bedtime, knowing an imagined monster settles a restless child faster than any reasoned argument.

## Usage notes

- 'Bogey' has several unrelated meanings: a source of fear (this entry), a golf score one over par, an unidentified aircraft on radar, and — in British informal English — a piece of nasal mucus. Context decides which is meant.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.