troll
TROHL
/troʊl/
A person who deliberately posts provocative, inflammatory, or off-topic messages online to upset others and provoke emotional reactions.
Driven by a desire to cause disruption and anger rather than contribute to sincere debate.
The story behind the word. The word has a double heritage. In Scandinavian folklore, a 'troll' was a mischievous, ugly creature lurking under bridges. However, early internet users adopted the term from the fishing technique 'trolling' (dragging a baited line through water to entice fish to bite). Digital trolls trail provocative posts across message boards waiting for gullible readers to bite.
Word relationships
- provocateur: Provocateur is a formal term for someone inciting reaction, while troll is specific to digital online disruption.
- moderator: A moderator restores peace, whereas a troll intentionally creates conflict.
Commonly confused with
- hacker: A hacker breaches computer security systems, while a troll manipulates social feelings with provocative text.
Word family
- trolling (noun): The act of deliberately provoking people online.
- trollish (adjective): Resembling or characteristic of an online troll.
Collocations
- internet troll
- troll account
- feed the troll
- obvious troll
Idioms & expressions
- don't feed the troll
Example sentences
- "The user turned out to be an intentional troll trying to derail the serious discussion about climate change." Online behavior
Memory hook
Dangling bait in a thread to catch angry replies. Baiting people into useless arguments.
When not to use
Do not use for someone who simply holds a different, well-reasoned opinion in good faith.
Fun facts
- The cardinal rule of internet moderation, 'Don't feed the trolls,' was recorded in Usenet FAQs as early as 1995.
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