troll

Someone who posts comments online to upset people or start arguments for amusement.

• Ignore the troll in the comments.
• Several trolls tried to spoil the discussion.
• She blocked a troll who kept insulting her posts.

Similar words: provocateur, troublemaker

Common phrases: internet troll, online troll, ignore a troll

An ugly creature like a person in traditional stories, often living under bridges or in caves.

• A troll lived under the bridge.
• The children drew pictures of trolls.
• In the story, a clever girl tricks the hungry troll.

Similar words: trow

Common phrases: mountain troll, troll under a bridge, wicked troll

Someone who spreads lies or causes arguments, often online, to support an organized political campaign.

• The campaign employed paid trolls.
• Investigators traced the false posts to a network of trolls.
• Political trolls used fake accounts to attack the candidate.

Common phrases: paid troll, political troll, troll farm

To post comments online deliberately intended to upset people or turn a discussion into an argument.

• He likes to troll in the comments.
• She was trolling the discussion with ridiculous claims.
• Stop trolling and answer the question seriously.

Similar words: provoke, bait

Common phrases: troll a discussion, troll a forum, troll someone online

To deliberately cause trouble in an online group so that it cannot work normally.

• They troll the forum every evening.
• Someone trolled our online support group.
• The moderators banned users who were trolling the community.

Similar words: disrupt

Common phrases: troll a forum, troll a community, troll a chat

To repeatedly attack or upset someone through messages or comments on the internet.

• Strangers began to troll her online.
• He blocked the accounts that were trolling him.
• They have trolled the journalist for months.

Similar words: harass, cyberbully

Common phrases: troll someone online, troll someone repeatedly, troll someone relentlessly