1
as in elves
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in dreads
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hobgoblins
Noun
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Overworked, overtired, snapping at elves — frankly, ‘twas a disaster.—
Lauren Ashley Bishop,
Variety,
4 Jan. 2026 -
Last December, Yvette Olazar, a 33-year-old mom of three, had a hunch that her daughter Natalie, who was in 6th grade, had stopped believing in magical elves and Christmas miracles.—
Kayla Grant,
PEOPLE,
26 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Also, there is this human white boy with dreads, Spider, a Tarzan type who hangs around the Sullys with the help of an oxygen mask.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
18 Dec. 2025
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Other introspective angles are explored during Mariano’s audiences with his friend the Pope (Rufin Doh Zeyenouin), a serene Black man with a head crowned by a bundle of silver dreads, who tools around the Vatican on a motorbike.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Plans include music, magic shows, face painting, stilt walkers, fairies, robots, a giant LED screen showing the ball drop from Times Square and more.—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
29 Dec. 2025
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If your favorite writer wishes they could be whisked away to the land of fairies and Björk and neighborhood hot springs, try cutting a large international corner with this bath product straight from the famous Blue Lagoon.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Women who died in childbirth, young men who died in war, infants who died before baptism—these especially pitiable dead were sometimes thought to become terrors whom the living would need to finish off once and for all.—
Rivka Galchen,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
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What better way to avoid the terrors of Dry January than by sneaking yourself into the cozy snug of The Pub, a compendium of Britain’s quintessential third space.—
Air Mail,
Air Mail,
3 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The kallikantzaroi are a group of blind, black goblins who live underground during most of the year sawing at the world tree – a motif throughout various folklores that connects the heavens to the Earth.—
Carlie Procell,
USA Today,
20 Dec. 2025
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On this day, candles were blessed for use in the coming year, and any decorations left up were thought to be at risk of becoming infested with goblins.—
Bobbi Sutherland,
The Conversation,
19 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Shrek and Fiona are now both full-time ogres, but Fiona’s parents (John Cleese and Julie Andrews) aren’t too thrilled, as a particularly tense family dinner scene makes clear.—
Skyler Trepel September 1,
EW.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Noun
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By 1938, the troupe of dwarves had begun to spend its winters in South Florida.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
25 Dec. 2025
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As kobolds go, Heinzelmann was more harmless than most, going about his business protecting the castle from giants and dwarves and keeping the staff updated on faerie gossip, as well as protecting the chambermaids from unwelcome attentions from visiting noblemen.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Despite its name, the bar operates as a globally minded cocktail destination with equal attention paid to other spirits, along with small bites and an impressive cigar selection.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
8 Jan. 2026
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And for Dirty Shirleys, different spirits, including vodka, gin, tequila and vermouth can be substituted.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
8 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Hobgoblins.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hobgoblins. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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