Meaning & use
Hobgoblin
Last updated
A mischievous folkloric spirit or goblin; also, an imaginary source of fear or a persistent minor trouble.
See it in a sentence
The children told stories of a hobgoblin that lived in the old barn.
Consistency, Emerson wrote, is 'the hobgoblin of little minds.'
A note on using this word
Famous from Ralph Waldo Emerson's line, 'A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.'
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Hobgoblin”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.