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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of gremlins
Of course, chaos ensues when those rules are broken, unleashing a horde of mischievous, destructive gremlins on his small town.
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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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Plans include music, magic shows, face painting, stilt walkers, fairies, robots, a giant LED screen showing the ball drop from Times Square and more.—
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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.—
Noun
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Children must abide by the rules for keeping the elves at home.—
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The elves were then given away, and handfuls have been on display in various locations in the following decades.—
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.—
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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.—
Cite this Entry
“Gremlins.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gremlins. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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