What does "bugbear" mean?
Bugbear: Something frightful, as a specter; anything imaginary that causes needless fright; something used to excite needless fear; also, something really dangerous, used to frighten children, etc. "Bugaboos to fright ye." Lloyd. But, to the world no bugbear is so great As want of figure and a small estate. Pope. The bugaboo of the liberals is the church pray. S. B. Griffin. The great bugaboo of the birds is the owl. J. Burroughs.
Additional senses
- 2.Same as Bugaboo. -- a. Causing needless fright. Locke.
- 3.To alarm with idle phantoms.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00