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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gremlin
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
The notion of gremlins was first conceived during the 1920s when mechanical failures in Royal Air Force aircraft were jokingly blamed on the small monsters.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 6 Nov. 2025
Ashley Darby, after seven winters, six summers, and two presidential administrations, has finally gotten divorced from the corporeal gremlin known as Michael Darby.
—Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gremlin
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
The notion of gremlins was first conceived during the 1920s when mechanical failures in Royal Air Force aircraft were jokingly blamed on the small monsters.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 6 Nov. 2025
Ashley Darby, after seven winters, six summers, and two presidential administrations, has finally gotten divorced from the corporeal gremlin known as Michael Darby.
—Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gremlin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gremlin
Noun
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At dusk, the area is lit by colorful fairy lights strung between massive mangroves.—
Asia London Palomba,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Apr. 2026
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Woodland fairies carrying giant daffodils or wearing hats covered in mushrooms.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The puckish figure draws heavily on Nordic fairy tales, including stories of elves.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
24 Mar. 2026
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Not as great of a kids’ parade as the one at Christmas with elves and Santa Claus and toys and snowmen.—
David McGrath,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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This one just happens to involve wizards, goblins, and one savage, half-blind dragon.—
Séamas O'Reilly,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
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Meet the goblin shark (Mitsukurina owstoni), a predator so rare that fewer than 250 individuals have ever been recorded worldwide.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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When choosing vegetables to plant in containers, look for dwarf or compact varieties.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
12 Apr. 2026
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Regretfully, some plants damaged the most were the colorful dwarf schefflera, crotons, ti plants and similar.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gremlin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gremlin. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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