troll
8 synonyms for troll, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — In folklore, a large, often ugly supernatural creature living in caves, hills, or under bridges.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
In folklore, a large, often ugly supernatural creature living in caves, hills, or under bridges.
“In the fairy tale, a troll guarded the bridge and demanded a toll.”
2. verb
To post deliberately provocative or inflammatory comments online to upset people or derail a discussion.
“He was banned from the forum for trolling other users.”
3. noun informal
A person who deliberately posts inflammatory, off-topic or provocative messages online to upset people or derail a discussion, typically for their own amusement.
“The comment section was flooded with trolls trying to start arguments.”
How to use troll
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
The folklore sense comes from Old Norse trǫll ("giant, demon, sorcerer"); the internet sense grew from an unrelated older meaning of "troll" tied to fishing (trailing a line) and provoking a reaction, and is a doublet of "droll."
Full origin of troll →