boondoggle
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. Over time, it developed the additional sense describing a wasteful or impractical project.
Examples of boondoggle in a Sentence
Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 31 Mar. 2025
Think the Second Ave. subway or the boondoggle Gateway rail tunnel under the Hudson.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2025
His proposal to reduce or eliminate property taxes and replace the lost revenue with a higher sales tax, doubling the statewide rate from 6% to 12%, is his biggest boondoggle yet.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 2 Mar. 2025
Last week, federal transportation officials announced an investigation into federal funding of California’s high-speed rail boondoggle.
—The Editorial Board, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for boondoggle
Cite this Entry
“Boondoggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boondoggle. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
Copy Citation
Share