Meaning & use
trolls
Last updated
“trolls” is a form of “troll”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounpluraldisapprovinginformal
People who post rude or upsetting messages online in order to anger others or start arguments.
Grammar: Plural of troll: online trolls ruin discussions.
Patterns
- trolls on something
- feed the trolls
Trolls filled the comment section with insults.
The moderators banned several trolls from the forum.
Don't feed the trolls; just ignore them.
nounplural
Creatures from folklore, often huge, ugly and living under bridges or in caves.
Grammar: Plural of troll in stories: trolls live under bridges.
Patterns
- trolls in a story
- trolls under a bridge
In the fairy tale, three trolls guard the bridge.
Norwegian stories feature trolls that turn to stone in sunlight.
The children dressed as trolls for the school play.
Word forms
| singular | troll |
|---|
Common combinations
- internet trolls
- Internet trolls often hide behind fake names.
- feed the trolls
- If you reply, you feed the trolls.
- block trolls
- The site lets users block trolls.
- mountain trolls
- The book describes mountain trolls with moss hair.
- bridge trolls
- The goats outsmarted the bridge trolls.
Synonyms and how they differ
- provocateurs
- Provocateurs is a formal word for people who stir up trouble, while trolls is specifically online and informal.
- agitators
- Agitators usually push a political cause, whereas trolls just want to provoke.
- hecklers
- Hecklers interrupt live events, while trolls act online.
- ogres
- Ogres are fairy tale giants that eat people, and the word does not apply to internet behavior.
Opposites
Word family
- troll noun
- a mythical creature or an online provocateur
- troll verb
- to post provocative messages online, or to fish by dragging a line
- trolling noun
- the act of provoking people online
- troll farm noun
- an organization that posts fake or inflammatory messages
Commonly confused: trolls or trolleys? trolls or trawls?
trolls vs trolleys
Trolleys are carts or streetcars; trolls are folklore creatures or online provocateurs.
trolls vs trawls
Trawls means fishes with a large net, which is spelled differently.
Practice
The moderator banned the ___ who kept posting insults to start fights.
Choose one answer.
Trolls are online provocateurs. Trawls, trolleys and trailers are similar-looking words with unrelated meanings.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “trolls”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.