Boondoggled: meaning, definitions and examples
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boondoggled
[ ˈbuːnˌdɒɡəld ]
informal context
To boondoggle means to waste time or money on trivial or unnecessary tasks. The term is often used to describe projects that are perceived as useless, especially in a bureaucratic or governmental setting. It can also refer to the act of engaging in deceptive practices to obtain funds or resources for such projects. The word conveys a sense of frustration with inefficiency and mismanagement. The origins of the term suggest its use in American English, particularly in relation to government spending.
Synonyms
dawdle, fritter away, squander, waste.
Examples of usage
- The committee was criticized for boondoggling taxpayers' money.
- She felt that the project was just another boondoggle.
- After months of boondoggling, they finally got to work.
- The conference turned into a boondoggle rather than a productive meeting.
Translations
Translations of the word "boondoggled" in other languages:
🇵🇹 trabalho inútil
- enganar
- iludir
🇮🇳 बेवजह का काम
- धोखा देना
- गुमराह करना
🇩🇪 Zeitverschwendung
- betrügen
- täuschen
🇮🇩 pekerjaan sia-sia
- menipu
- menyesatkan
🇺🇦 даремна робота
- обманювати
- вводити в оману
🇵🇱 bezsensowna praca
- oszukiwać
- wprowadzać w błąd
🇯🇵 無駄な作業
- 騙す
- 誤解させる
🇫🇷 travail inutile
- tromper
- induire en erreur
🇪🇸 trabajo inútil
- engañar
- confundir
🇹🇷 gereksiz iş
- kandırmak
- yanıltmak
🇰🇷 헛된 일
- 속이다
- 오해하게 하다
🇸🇦 عمل غير مجدي
- خداع
- تضليل
🇨🇿 zbytečná práce
- podvádět
- mást
🇸🇰 zbytočná práca
- podvádzať
- mýliť
🇨🇳 无用的工作
- 欺骗
- 误导
🇸🇮 neuporabno delo
- prevarati
- zavajati
🇮🇸 óþarfa vinna
- svik
- villta
🇰🇿 пайдалы емес жұмыс
- алдау
- адастыру
🇬🇪 უვარგისი სამუშაო
- მოატყუო
- შეცდომაში შეიყვანო
🇦🇿 boş iş
- aldatmaq
- yanıltmaq
🇲🇽 trabajo inútil
- engañar
- confundir
Etymology
The term 'boondoggle' originated in the 1930s, reportedly from the American popular culture of that era. It has been suggested that it originally referred to a type of leatherwork or crafts made by Boy Scouts, but its current usage relates more to inefficiency and wastefulness associated with government-funded projects. Some attribute the term to New Deal programs in the United States, where it became synonymous with projects that, while funded by taxpayers, yielded little to no tangible benefit. Over the decades, 'boondoggle' has evolved into a critical term used in political discourse to describe a variety of government spending initiatives that are questionable in terms of their value and effectiveness.