as in fairies
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
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Recent Examples of gremlins
In recent weeks, social media users, especially on X, have been noticing increasing references to goblins, along with other fantasy creatures such as gremlins, ogres and trolls in ChatGPT’s answers to user queries.
—
Rob Wile, NBC news, 30 Apr. 2026
Don’t let fear of your inner gremlins stop you from self-work to uplevel your life.
—Tribune Content Agency, Baltimore Sun, 23 Jan. 2026
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
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
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
Other old-car issues, such as gremlins impacting the electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and exhaust systems, are ongoing considerations.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 2025
The colorful gremlins were often paired with bag charms, Trendalytics said saw 247 percent growth year-over-year.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 15 Aug. 2025
The popularity of the petite gremlins has spawned fakes.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 11 Aug. 2025
Rob Wile, NBC news, 30 Apr. 2026
Don’t let fear of your inner gremlins stop you from self-work to uplevel your life.
—Tribune Content Agency, Baltimore Sun, 23 Jan. 2026
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
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
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
Other old-car issues, such as gremlins impacting the electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and exhaust systems, are ongoing considerations.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 2025
The colorful gremlins were often paired with bag charms, Trendalytics said saw 247 percent growth year-over-year.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 15 Aug. 2025
The popularity of the petite gremlins has spawned fakes.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gremlins
Noun
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In the game, players will be able to explore iconic Winx universe locations, including the courtyard of Alfea College and the mystical Enchanted Forest, and switch between all six fairies.—
Kennedy French,
Variety,
6 May 2026
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The original is set in an Australian rainforest populated by fairies, one of whom accidentally shrinks a logger to fairy size.—
Mike Fleming Jr,
Deadline,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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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
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The company behind that trio of elves, some of the most iconic mascots in pop culture, is the same corporation that put breakfast on the table in the first place.—
Heather Bushman,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In recent weeks, social media users, especially on X, have been noticing increasing references to goblins, along with other fantasy creatures such as gremlins, ogres and trolls in ChatGPT’s answers to user queries.—
Rob Wile,
NBC news,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Anecdotal evidence on social media shows some users complaining about GPT’s penchant for focusing on goblins in completely unrelated conversations in recent days.—
Kyle Orland,
ArsTechnica,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gremlins.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gremlins. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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