What does "gremlin" mean?
A contemptible person.
Gremlin
/ˈɡɹɛmlɪn/ noun, slang
noun, slang ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A contemptible person.
- Grammar: gremlin is listed as noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: imp, ariel, bad fairy, bad peri.
- Useful contrasts: benevolent spirit, benign being, reliable component.
- Usage evidence: Santiago trapped the Gremlin inside the fridge.
How to use "gremlin"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "gremlin" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "gremlin" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "gremlin" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "gremlin" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "gremlin" is acting as noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "imp" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "gremlin", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A contemptible person. obsolete
- 2 (folklore) fairies that are somewhat mischievous wordnet
- 3 An imaginary creature reputed to be mischievously inclined, for example, to damage or dismantle machinery.
"Like Abominable Snowmen, gremlins have never actually been seen; but nobody who works with electronic gear doubts the existence of these mischievous and elusive entities. There are too many malfunctions and failures that can have no other explanation."
- 4 Any mysterious, unknown source of mischief or trouble, or the problem created thereby. broadly
"We rechecked everything, and we suspect gremlins in the database."
- 5 A young, inexperienced surfer or skateboarder, regarded as a nuisance. broadly, slang
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A person regarded as similar to a fictional gremlin, in particular: mischievous, troublesome, short, or annoying. broadly
"Rosa, the main character in Tears of Themis, is also very smart, justice-driven, and willing to help. Meanwhile, the Honkai: Star Rail Trailblazer […] can often be a sarcastic, pessimistic, lazy, self-serving, dumpster-diving gremlin."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
benevolent spiritbenign beingreliable componentstable performance
Example
"Santiago trapped the Gremlin inside the fridge."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "gremlin"?
Common synonyms include: imp, ariel, bad fairy, bad peri, banshee, befind.
How do you use "gremlin" in a sentence?
Santiago trapped the Gremlin inside the fridge.
How do you pronounce "gremlin"?
Pronounced /ˈɡɹɛmlɪn/.
Etymology
Uncertain; the following etymologies have been suggested: * A variant of goblin. * From Irish gruaimín (“gloomy little person”); or from Dutch gremmelen (“to soil, stain; to spoil”), or griemelen, grimmelen (“(obsolete) to abound, teem; to swarm”), but according to the Oxford English Dictionary there is little evidence for such derivations. The word was popularized, especially in the United States, by the children’s novel The Gremlins (1943) by the British author Roald Dahl (1916–1990), in which gremlins sabotage Royal Air Force aircraft in revenge for the destruction of their forest home to make way for an aircraft factory; the creatures later join forces with the British to fight the Nazis.