superstitious

adjective

su·​per·​sti·​tious ˌsü-pər-ˈsti-shəs How to pronounce superstitious (audio)
: of, relating to, or swayed by superstition
a superstitious ritual
superstitiously adverb

Examples of superstitious in a Sentence

He's very superstitious and won't pitch without his lucky mitt.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Lottery numbers are completely random, but that doesn't stop players from feeling superstitious or protective of their personal lucky numbers. Shelby Slade, The Arizona Republic, 16 Oct. 2024 Rarely has a president been privy to such a public discourse about superstitious underwear. David Close, CNN, 10 Sep. 2024 Franz and Fiala based their script on real events documented in the 17th and 18th centuries, and the bleak, muddy Austrian landscape seems to reflect the severe, unforgiving nature of this devout, deeply superstitious community. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 28 June 2024 Speaking of ‘medieval,’ how do people break out of that ‘superstitious’ worldview regarding tech culture’s inherent, unquestionably positive benefits? Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for superstitious 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English supersticious, from Anglo-French supersticius, from Latin superstitiosus, from superstitio

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of superstitious was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near superstitious

Cite this Entry

“Superstitious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/superstitious. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

superstitious

adjective
su·​per·​sti·​tious ˌsü-pər-ˈstish-əs How to pronounce superstitious (audio)
: of, relating to, or influenced by superstition
superstitiously adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on superstitious

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!