boogiemen

/ˈbʊɡiˌmɛn/
noun
  1. Plural of boogieman; imaginary evil creatures used to frighten children.
    • The children whispered stories about boogiemen lurking in the forest.
    • Many cultures have their own versions of boogiemen to scare kids.
    • The campfire tales were full of boogiemen and other monsters.
  2. Plural of boogieman; people or things that are widely feared or blamed.
    • Politicians often create boogiemen out of rival groups to rally support.
    • The company treated its competitors as boogiemen to justify its actions.
    • In history, societies have used boogiemen to explain natural disasters.
What does "boogiemen" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean