Definition

1. Noun:
   • A source of concern or persistent fear: A bugaboo is something that causes worry, anxiety, or trouble, often recurring over time.
   • An imaginary monster used to frighten children: A bugaboo is a mythical, frightening creature, similar to a bogeyman, invoked to scare children into good behavior.

Usage Examples

• As a source of concern:
  • For many politicians, the national debt is a constant bugaboo.
  • The old bugaboo of inflation still bothers them.
• As an imaginary monster:
  • Parents sometimes warn their children that the bugaboo will come if they don't go to sleep.
  • The story featured a silly bugaboo that lived in the closet.

Advanced Usage

• "To raise the bugaboo of (something)": To bring up a particular fear or concern, often to argue against something.
  • The opposition raised the bugaboo of higher taxes to criticize the new policy.

Variants and Related Words

• Bugbear (noun): A very similar term, often used interchangeably with "bugaboo" to mean a source of fear or annoyance.
  • Paperwork is the eternal bugbear of office workers.

Synonyms

• Bogeyman: An imaginary evil spirit or monster.
• Specter: A ghost or a source of terror.
• Anxiety: A feeling of worry; can be synonymous when referring to the of that worry.
• Dread: Anticipatory fear; can refer to the object causing that fear.

Idioms and Phrases

• "The bugaboo of (something)": A common phrase used to personify a specific fear or problem.
  • He was determined to conquer the bugaboo of public speaking.

Noun

1. a source of concern
   • the old bugaboo of inflation still bothers them
2. an imaginary monster used to frighten children