boondoggle

noun

boon·dog·gle ˈbün-ˌdä-gəl How to pronounce boondoggle (audio)

-ˌdȯ-

: a braided cord worn by Boy Scouts as a neckerchief slide (see slide entry 2 sense 4b), hatband, or ornament

: a wasteful or impractical project or activity often involving graft

The project is a complete boondoggle—over budget, behind schedule, and unnecessary.

boondoggle intransitive verb

boondoggler

ˈbün-ˌdä-g(ə-)lər How to pronounce boondoggle (audio)

-ˌdȯ-

noun

Did you know?

Boondoggle Started With the Scouts

When boondoggle popped up in the early 1900s, lots of people tried to explain where the word came from. One theory traced it to an Ozarkian word for "gadget," while another related it to the Tagalog word that gave us boondocks. Another hypothesis suggested that boondoggle came from the name of leather toys Daniel Boone supposedly made for his dog. But the only theory that is supported by evidence is much simpler. In the 1920s, Robert Link, a scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of America, apparently coined the word to name the braided leather cords made and worn by scouts. The word came to prominence when such a boondoggle was presented to the Prince of Wales at the 1929 World Jamboree, and it's been with us ever since.

Example Sentences

Critics say the dam is a complete boondoggle—over budget, behind schedule, and unnecessary.

Recent Examples on the Web And time after time Californians have fought against these boondoggle projects and won.

CBS News, 13 Aug. 2022 Where Philbrick sees opportunity, critics see a boondoggle.

Alan Ohnsman, Forbes, 16 July 2022 The Pac-12 Networks proved to be a boondoggle, and as other conferences cashed in via mega-television contracts, Pac-12 schools cashed considerably smaller checks and fell further behind.

Kent Somers, The Arizona Republic, 30 June 2022 The bounty was a boondoggle on Wall Street, though.

Ryan Dezember, WSJ, 23 May 2022 Moreover, trucking relies on the public provision of highways, a perpetual pork barrel boondoggle which wastes $18 billion annually.

Roslyn Layton, Forbes, 28 June 2022 But is hydrogen a crucial clean energy solution, or a greenwashing boondoggle that would prop up the fossil fuel industry?

Sammy Rothstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2022 Opponents call it a boondoggle that would benefit parent company Brookfield Infrastructure while saddling ratepayers with the costs.

Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2022 Hall’s serious miscasting goes beyond a boondoggle but suggests that the filmmaker is clueless about her story’s issues and the facts of social living.

Armond White, National Review, 2 Mar. 2022 See More

单词	boondoggle
释义	boondoggle noun boon·dog·gle ˈbün-ˌdä-gəl -ˌdȯ- 1 : a braided cord worn by Boy Scouts as a neckerchief slide (see slide entry 2 sense 4b), hatband, or ornament 2 : a wasteful or impractical project or activity often involving graft The project is a complete boondoggle—over budget, behind schedule, and unnecessary. boondoggle intransitive verb boondoggler ˈbün-ˌdä-g(ə-)lər -ˌdȯ- noun Did you know? Boondoggle Started With the Scouts When boondoggle popped up in the early 1900s, lots of people tried to explain where the word came from. One theory traced it to an Ozarkian word for "gadget," while another related it to the Tagalog word that gave us boondocks. Another hypothesis suggested that boondoggle came from the name of leather toys Daniel Boone supposedly made for his dog. But the only theory that is supported by evidence is much simpler. In the 1920s, Robert Link, a scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of America, apparently coined the word to name the braided leather cords made and worn by scouts. The word came to prominence when such a boondoggle was presented to the Prince of Wales at the 1929 World Jamboree, and it's been with us ever since. Example Sentences Critics say the dam is a complete boondoggle—over budget, behind schedule, and unnecessary. Recent Examples on the Web And time after time Californians have fought against these boondoggle projects and won. CBS News, 13 Aug. 2022 Where Philbrick sees opportunity, critics see a boondoggle. Alan Ohnsman, Forbes, 16 July 2022 The Pac-12 Networks proved to be a boondoggle, and as other conferences cashed in via mega-television contracts, Pac-12 schools cashed considerably smaller checks and fell further behind. Kent Somers, The Arizona Republic, 30 June 2022 The bounty was a boondoggle on Wall Street, though. Ryan Dezember, WSJ, 23 May 2022 Moreover, trucking relies on the public provision of highways, a perpetual pork barrel boondoggle which wastes $18 billion annually. Roslyn Layton, Forbes, 28 June 2022 But is hydrogen a crucial clean energy solution, or a greenwashing boondoggle that would prop up the fossil fuel industry? Sammy Rothstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2022 Opponents call it a boondoggle that would benefit parent company Brookfield Infrastructure while saddling ratepayers with the costs. Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2022 Hall’s serious miscasting goes beyond a boondoggle but suggests that the filmmaker is clueless about her story’s issues and the facts of social living. Armond White, National Review, 2 Mar. 2022 See More Word History Etymology coined by Robert H. Link †1957 American scoutmaster First Known Use 1928, in the meaning defined at sense 1
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boondoggle

noun

Did you know?

Example Sentences

Word History