as in elf
an imaginary being usually having a small human form and magical powers
the metal cobalt gets its name from the medieval Germanic belief that its appearance in silver ore was the handiwork of mischievous, thieving kobolds
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Recent Examples of kobold
But certain kobolds known as drakes may appear as fiery dragons, which can fly through the air like stripes in the sky.
—
Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
Monster Vault allows the designers to take a crack at some classic creatures like kobolds, goblins, demons and dragons.
—Rob Wieland, Forbes, 18 Sep. 2024
This element takes its name from the German word kobelt, signifying kobolds—gnomes and goblins thought to haunt mines.
—Sanjana Curtis, Scientific American, 4 July 2023
The word cobalt comes from the German word kobold, meaning goblin.
—Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 18 Aug. 2022
Otherworldly cities modeled on real ones have been a standby of fantasy, from Superman’s Metropolis through China Miéville’s Un Lun Dun to Michael Swanwick’s Babel, with its haints and kobolds, ethnic politics and human ward-heelers.
—Tom Shippey, WSJ, 16 Mar. 2018
Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
Monster Vault allows the designers to take a crack at some classic creatures like kobolds, goblins, demons and dragons.
—Rob Wieland, Forbes, 18 Sep. 2024
This element takes its name from the German word kobelt, signifying kobolds—gnomes and goblins thought to haunt mines.
—Sanjana Curtis, Scientific American, 4 July 2023
The word cobalt comes from the German word kobold, meaning goblin.
—Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 18 Aug. 2022
Otherworldly cities modeled on real ones have been a standby of fantasy, from Superman’s Metropolis through China Miéville’s Un Lun Dun to Michael Swanwick’s Babel, with its haints and kobolds, ethnic politics and human ward-heelers.
—Tom Shippey, WSJ, 16 Mar. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kobold
Noun
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The new version will still have the traditional arrow counting down the days to the holiday but also will include moving elves who are helping prepare things for Christmas.—
Sal Pizarro,
Mercury News,
30 May 2026
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There’s also caviar and cookies and Christmas trees and Housewives and Bravolebrities, all surrounded by twink elves in Christmas G-strings.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
4 May 2026
Noun
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The exhibition centers on a film created with generative AI trained on an archive that includes fairy folklore and the Victorian mania for invention.—
Eugenie Brinkema,
ARTnews.com,
14 June 2026
-
Her glam team complemented the off-the-shoulder design with ethereal fairy makeup, including rosy pink blush and shimmering eyeshadow.—
Staff Author,
InStyle,
6 June 2026
Noun
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An odd couple—one a goblin squeezed into an improbable trench-coat onesie, a fedora, and high heels—promenades down a steep incline while other strollers come and go.—
Jeremy Lybarger,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
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OpenAI leaned into the curious habit, choosing to highlight the goblin-forbidding prompt in a tweet.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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For a more complex arrangement, try stacking dwarf azaleas in front of taller mountain laurels and select plants with coordinating flower colors.—
Lauren Landers,
The Spruce,
13 June 2026
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The rounded dwarf types fit neatly into compact gardens as foundation plantings, borders, or accents.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kobold.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kobold. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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