About this episode
This episode discusses the word 'boondoggle', its meanings, origins, and usage in public discourse.
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 27, 2026 is: boondoggle • \BOON-dah-gul\ • noun A boondoggle is an expensive and wasteful project usually paid for with public money. Boondoggle is also a word for a braided cord worn by Boy Scouts as a neckerchief slide, hatband, or ornament. // Critics say the dam is a complete boondoggle —over budget, behind schedule, and unnecessary. See the entry > Examples: "A controversial proposal to construct a new bridge from Bridgeport to Long Island is either a bold, visionary step into the future or an unaffordable boondoggle that could cost more than $50 billion." — Christopher Keating, The Hartford (Connecticut) Courant , 8 Mar. 2026 Did you know? 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…
People in this episode
Host: Merriam-Webster
Topics covered
- language
- etymology
- public spending
- Boy Scouts
- braided cord
Keywords
- boondoggle
- public money
- wasteful project
- Boy Scouts
- braided cord
- etymology
- expensive project
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