1
as in fairy
an imaginary being usually having a small human form and magical powers
in Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream, Puck is a hobgoblin who plays pranks such as spoiling milk and tripping old ladies
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2
as in dread
something or someone that causes fear or dread especially without reason
the fear of success and the pressures that come with it can be more of a hobgoblin than the possibility of failure
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hobgoblin
Sightings of the mythical Nain Rouge, a red hobgoblin or dwarf that appears on the eve of tragedy, date to Detroit's origin — and locals have reclaimed the spirit with an annual march to scare the demon away, according to tradition.
—
Detroit Free Press, 24 Mar. 2024
As Ralph Waldo Emerson might have said in an essay of the same name (and did), a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds; Tommy seems to feel his brain shrinking along with his life.
—John Anderson, WSJ, 9 Jan. 2024
Consistency is the hobgoblin of large language models.
—Brianne Kane, Scientific American, 29 Sep. 2023
The narrative unfolds communally around a table, with plenty of backtracking, retconning, and joking—and avoiding the small-minded hobgoblins of consistency and rules-lawyering.
—Ethan Gilsdorf, WIRED, 27 June 2023
See All Example Sentences for hobgoblin
Detroit Free Press, 24 Mar. 2024
As Ralph Waldo Emerson might have said in an essay of the same name (and did), a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds; Tommy seems to feel his brain shrinking along with his life.
—John Anderson, WSJ, 9 Jan. 2024
Consistency is the hobgoblin of large language models.
—Brianne Kane, Scientific American, 29 Sep. 2023
The narrative unfolds communally around a table, with plenty of backtracking, retconning, and joking—and avoiding the small-minded hobgoblins of consistency and rules-lawyering.
—Ethan Gilsdorf, WIRED, 27 June 2023
See All Example Sentences for hobgoblin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hobgoblin
Noun
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While details of Gatwa’s character are not yet known, Erivo’s Jayne is described as a trailblazing fairy whose defiant streak sparks a rebellion.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
8 Nov. 2025
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Her younger sister, meanwhile, was dressed as a purple fairy.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
1 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Foreboding and dread is consuming celebrities scheduled to dance on The Jennifer Hudson Show.—
Andy Hoglund,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Nov. 2025
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As the anniversary of Will’s disappearance approaches, so does a heavy, familiar dread.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Children must abide by the rules for keeping the elves at home.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
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The elves were then given away, and handfuls have been on display in various locations in the following decades.—
Bebe Hodges,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Just throw in some ogre and donkey ears, and you’re set.—
James Factora,
Them.,
17 Oct. 2025
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On his journey, Geralt slices up several soldiers, a giant, ogre-like creature and a ghostly wraith.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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There’s a Redwall vibe to the third installment, as fan-favorite rattkin Fern gets carried away on an impromptu adventure involving a chaos-goblin who holds a bounty tempting enough for all the ne’er-do-wells to try and collect on.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
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The electric vehicle company is rolling out a seasonal theme as a part of its software update that's made for ghouls, goblins and things that go bump in the night.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The other lives in New Jersey and is accused of talking about a potential terror attack in Boston during a livestream.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
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Esmé, along with many patrons and staff, experienced the terror and chaos of the event firsthand.—
Mikelle Street,
Them.,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
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There is a dwarf version of this plant (Polygala fruticosa var.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
8 Nov. 2025
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Dwarf Conifers Just like Japanese maple, dwarf conifers such as dwarf Alberta spruce (shown here) come in a range of shapes, sizes, and colors.—
Luke Miller,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Inflation will be a major bugbear for Takaichi to tackle, experts previously told CNBC.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
23 Oct. 2025
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Anyway, as this supporter told Sky Sports, one of their bugbears is that Chelsea Dagger doesn’t actually have anything to do with Chelsea Football Club.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hobgoblin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hobgoblin. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.
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