as in fairy
an imaginary being usually having a small human form and magical powers
elves are often portrayed as rather mischievous
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of elf
The theft follows a similar incident in December, when members of the same group flooded into a Montreal grocery store dressed as Santa Clause and his elves, stealing food and leaving some of it gift-wrapped under a nearby Christmas tree.
—
Max Saltman, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
One of Magnason’s first jobs was at the National Archives of Iceland, where he was surrounded by books about the old Norse gods, colonial histories, and even stories about elves.
—Marya E. Gates, IndieWire, 27 Jan. 2026
Sets like Hobbiton and Rivendell (a home for some elves) are breathtaking, the makeup and prosthetics of the orcs still terrifying, and the costumes ethereal and otherworldly.
—Charlotte Observer, 23 Jan. 2026
The film centers on Jonas, a troubled practitioner of magic who assembles a group of companions – including rogue Dagon, elf Nimue and assassin Solomon – to investigate a mysterious corruption spreading through a quiet village in the mystical Realm of Eldervin.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elf
Max Saltman, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
One of Magnason’s first jobs was at the National Archives of Iceland, where he was surrounded by books about the old Norse gods, colonial histories, and even stories about elves.
—Marya E. Gates, IndieWire, 27 Jan. 2026
Sets like Hobbiton and Rivendell (a home for some elves) are breathtaking, the makeup and prosthetics of the orcs still terrifying, and the costumes ethereal and otherworldly.
—Charlotte Observer, 23 Jan. 2026
The film centers on Jonas, a troubled practitioner of magic who assembles a group of companions – including rogue Dagon, elf Nimue and assassin Solomon – to investigate a mysterious corruption spreading through a quiet village in the mystical Realm of Eldervin.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elf
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elf
Noun
-
Their modus operandi is to rescue interesting old buildings in a sorry state of disrepair and liberally sprinkle fairy dust over them.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
-
And creatures — fairies, a faun, the unforgettable Pale Man, with eyes in the palms of his hands — reveal a world of deeper and darker enchantment.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Over billions of years, the galaxy probably collided with smaller dwarf galaxies, which brought in fresh gas and stars and helped build up the outer spiral arms.—
Lisa Kewley,
The Conversation,
14 May 2026
-
The shrub grows 6 to 15 feet tall; there are dwarf, medium-sized, and tall varieties.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
OpenAI leaned into the curious habit, choosing to highlight the goblin-forbidding prompt in a tweet.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The maker of ChatGPT has an explanation for all the goblin talk.—
Rob Wile,
NBC news,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The plays are set in locations as varied as courts, forests, battlefields, and even the realm of faerie.—
Gitanjali Roy,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Apr. 2026
-
And thank the faeries for that.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
29 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Elf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elf. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
