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elf

noun

ˈelf How to pronounce elf (audio)
Definition of elfnext
as in fairy
an imaginary being usually having a small human form and magical powers elves are often portrayed as rather mischievous

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of elf Yes, there were moments of humor, such as getting magic potions around the campfire at the end of each stage by whacking helpless little elves, but most of it was played straight, to great effect. — Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 Just over a year after its acquisition, Hailey Bieber's brand contributed $160 million in quarterly sales of a total $479 million—as sales of elf's namesake brand slipped. — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026 Reading allows children to live in a vibrant world, surrounded by fairies, elves and talking animals, transporting them to places where the impossible becomes real. — Michelle Kearney, The Conversation, 7 July 2026 At the end of 2005-2006, a whole host of elves got arrested and were sent to prison. — Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for elf
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elf
  1. fairy
  2. dwarf
  3. goblin
  4. faerie
Noun
  • The cost is $35 to $40 and includes all of the supplies needed to turn your child into a butterfly, a Star Wars ranger or a fairy princess.
    — Janet Kusterer, Baltimore Sun, 23 Sep. 2026
  • And the book’s title and Madeleine’s nickname, Queen Mab, comes from a fairy referred to by Mercutio in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
    — Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of fairy
Noun
  • This led to the observation of 47 dwarf galaxies, of which only four had previously been discovered.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Consider growing a dwarf variety like Citrus japonica ‘Nagami’ that’s suitable for indoor growing.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of dwarf
Noun
  • The magical ring that helped Bilbo escape the goblins had become an instrument of addiction and mass political control.
    — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Two years ago, the Man City phenom appeared in a 90-second spot for the game that saw him get recruited to storm a castle teeming with goblins, dragons and impish skeletons.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of goblin
Noun
  • Maeve learns that the legends she was raised on — stories of faeries, kelpies and seelies — are actually true.
    — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 22 May 2026
  • The plays are set in locations as varied as courts, forests, battlefields, and even the realm of faerie.
    — Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
Definition of faerie

Browse Nearby Words

eleventh hours
elf
elfin
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Cite this Entry

“Elf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elf. Accessed 28 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on elf

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about elf

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