Definition of gremlinnext
as in fairy
an imaginary being usually having a small human form and magical powers during the World Wars, fighter pilots adopted the fanciful notion that gremlins were responsible for mechanical failures on their planes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 gremlin Don’t let fear of your inner gremlins stop you from self-work to level up your life. Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 23 Jan. 2026 Not like a law breaker; more like a gremlin. Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 17 Jan. 2026 Of course, chaos ensues when those rules are broken, unleashing a horde of mischievous, destructive gremlins on his small town. Lauryn Higgins, Parents, 22 Dec. 2025 Almost like a gremlin, the same creature that appears small and tiny then molts its skin and then becomes huge. Adam B. Vary, Variety, 10 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gremlin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gremlin
Noun
  • It’s liberally dotted with the designer’s personal collection of art and antiques, but still manages to feel pared-back—as if a Scandinavian fairy came down and waved all the potential clutter away.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
  • Everything feels more whimsical, more fairy-like, more nymph-coded, as if fashion itself is trying to mirror the romance of the natural world.
    Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Noun
  • The new version will still have the traditional arrow counting down the days to the holiday but also will include moving elves who are helping prepare things for Christmas.
    Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 30 May 2026
  • There’s also caviar and cookies and Christmas trees and Housewives and Bravolebrities, all surrounded by twink elves in Christmas G-strings.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 4 May 2026
Noun
  • An odd couple—one a goblin squeezed into an improbable trench-coat onesie, a fedora, and high heels—promenades down a steep incline while other strollers come and go.
    Jeremy Lybarger, Artforum, 2 June 2026
  • OpenAI leaned into the curious habit, choosing to highlight the goblin-forbidding prompt in a tweet.
    Frank Landymore, Futurism, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • For instance, Eilish is an animal lover with a pet dwarf hamster named Tomato Bisque Soup.
    Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 1 June 2026
  • Writer Steve Phillips’ investments in the race dwarfs spending by any other single donor.
    Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gremlin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gremlin. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on gremlin

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster