booby prize

noun

1
: an award for the poorest performance in a game or competition
2
: an acknowledgment of notable inferiority

Examples of booby prize in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But every week someone in the worst presidency in American history must win the booby prize for making the most ridiculous statement imaginable. — Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 6 Apr. 2024 After a number of more senior members failed to win enough support, the booby prize went to Johnson. — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of booby prize was in 1884

Rhymes for booby prize

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Browse Nearby Words

booby hutch
booby prize
booby trap
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Cite this Entry

“Booby prize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/booby%20prize. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

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