Weird NewsUSE IT IN A SENTENCE
Use It in a Sentence: Boondoggle
The word was coined in 1929 by American scout leader Robert H. Link for a braided neckerchief ring; it now means something far less useful.
On air: Hank Ledger and Vera Bullock on Best of BBNPublished
Watch it as it aired: Hank Ledger and Vera Bullock on this story, from Best of BBN at 2:10 AM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are en.wiktionary.org's, the jokes are ours.
At a glance
- First reported by en.wiktionary.org: “boondoggle”.
- Covered on BBN on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at 2:10 AM ET on Best of BBN, by Hank Ledger and Vera Bullock.
The real story
The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.
- en.wiktionary.orgboondoggle
What BBN said about it
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThe word is boondoggle. Boon. Dog. Ul. A pointless waste of time or money, coined in nineteen twenty-nine by American scout leader Robert H. Link.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorIn a sentence: The new weather radar was a boondoggle, and Brock still cannot find it.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorOh, I love that. Though I have to say, most boondoggles do not come with forty-one photos and such enthusiasm.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThat is not what it means.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorSo my podcast is a boondoggle too! Nobody listens, and it is thriving!
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorAnd Hank, your bean bunker is the most beautiful boondoggle I have ever seen. I mean that kindly.
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Photo: Infrogmation of New Orleans · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Jonas Bergsten · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
Photo: Nielsoncaetanosalmeron · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
Photo: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0
From the archive: everything BBN aired on Saturday, October 17, 2026 · the Weird News archive · all months
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