boondoggle

[ boon-dog-uhl, -daw-guhl ]

noun

1. a wasteful and worthless project undertaken for political, corporate, or personal gain, typically a government project funded by taxpayers:

   Is high-speed rail a valuable addition to infrastructure, or a boondoggle?

2. work of little or no value done merely to keep or look busy.
3. a product of simple manual skill, as a plaited leather cord for the neck or a knife sheath, made typically by a camper or a scout.

verb (used with object)

, boon·dog·gled, boon·dog·gling.

1. to deceive or attempt to deceive:

   to boondoggle investors into a low-interest scheme.

verb (used without object)

, boon·dog·gled, boon·dog·gling.

1. to do work of little or no practical value merely to keep or look busy.

boondoggle

/ ˈbuːnˌdɒɡəl /

verb

1. intr to do futile and unnecessary work

noun

1. a futile and unnecessary project or work

Derived Forms

• ˈboonˌdoggler, noun

Other Words From

• boon·dog·gler noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of boondoggle¹

An Americanism dating back to 1930–35; of unknown origin

Word History and Origins

Origin of boondoggle¹

C20: said to have been coined by R. H. Link, American scoutmaster

Example Sentences

Congresswoman Maxine Waters, another early supporter, recently opposed the “boondoggle” saying it wasn’t worth the money.

From Los Angeles Times

Newsom says the project is critical for California’s future, but opponents argue it is a costly boondoggle that would harm the delta and further imperil its ecosystem.

From Los Angeles Times

In the works for nearly two decades, the movie was shut down several times by studio executives, who feared they were producing a big-budget boondoggle.

From New York Times

It is the very definition of a boondoggle.

From Seattle Times

The ambitious project has been widely lampooned over the years by many, including me, as a too-costly boondoggle and off track from the start.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• betrayal
• deceit
• disinformation
• duplicity
• falsehood
• fraud
• hypocrisy
• lying
• mendacity
• treachery
• trickery
• untruth

More About Boondoggle

What does boondoggle mean?

A boondoggle is a government project considered to have little purpose or value and to be a waste of taxpayer money.

More generally, it can refer to any work done simply to look busy. These senses of the word are based on its original, literal meaning: a decorative but otherwise useless cord of braided leather or plastic (or another such handicraft) stereotypically made by Scouts.

Boondoggle can also be used as a verb meaning to deceive. All senses of the word are primarily used in the U.S. and Canada.

Example: Critics called the mayor’s proposal for a tech hub nothing more than a boondoggle to please his political donors.

Where does boondoggle come from?

The first records of the word boondoggle come from the 1930s. The term is often attributed to American scoutmaster R.H. Link. The literal sense of the word refers to the kind of braided cords often made by Scouts, which are typically attached to things like handkerchiefs and keychains as a decoration.

Today, boondoggle is commonly associated with unnecessary government spending, especially by the U.S. federal government. A project is typically called a boondoggle by those who think it’s unnecessary and wasteful. Boondoggles are often blamed on politicians who add such expenditures into budgets as a favor to their cronies, or as a way of getting a favor in return. Boondoggle is always used in a negative way to criticize such projects as worthless or pointless, and especially as a waste of money and resources.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to boondoggle?

• boondoggler (noun)

What are some synonyms for boondoggle?

• deceive

What are some words that often get used in discussing boondoggle?

 

• government
• spending
• project
• waste
• trivial
• useless
• pointless
• worthless
• budget
• expense
• expenditure
• pork barrel

How is boondoggle used in real life?

Boondoggle is primarily an American term used in the context of politics. It’s always used negatively—unless it literally refers to the little braided trinkets made by Scouts.

yo i had no idea these were called boondoggles?? but i made them so much as a kid omg pic.twitter.com/QWWbcMnEvm

— 🌷 vicky 🌷 @ suffering like everyone else (@svartwork) April 2, 2020

Many of the same Tories trashing Ottawa for spending too much in good times (a fair criticism) were Alberta Tories who helped spend the entire resource wealth of the province, running deficits @ $100 oil and financing boondoggles like NW Upgrader's $26 billion liability. #cdnpoli

— eric denhoff (@EDenhoff) March 31, 2020

This is going to be the biggest unaccounted for boondoggle ever.

When it’s all over the public won’t have a clue where a lot of the money went.

— Sven Henrich (@NorthmanTrader) March 24, 2020

 

 

Try using boondoggle!

Which of the following words is LEAST likely to describe a boondoggle?

A. wasteful
B. pointless
C. efficient
D. useless