1
as in occultism
the power to control natural forces through supernatural means
… an alchemy that changed metals rarer than gold into elements more baneful than lead.—
James Gleick
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2
as in magic
the power to do something impressive in a way that seems mysterious or supernatural
They marveled at the digital alchemy that turns lines of computer code into a beautiful user interface.
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Recent Examples of alchemy
Ask 3 clarifying questions, then suggest 5 'money alchemy' strategies that could improve my financial health.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024
And that alchemy and that explosion of emotions is probably somewhere in the movie.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2024
When a public figure sits across from a podcast host to embark on a purportedly shapeless, stream-of-consciousness chat suffused with crude jokes and senseless tangents, an odd alchemy occurs: the speakers begin to sound like pals bantering at a pre-game, with the listener as a silent confidant.
—Brady Brickner-Wood, The New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2024
Natural light is a critical component of Pardo’s alchemy, animating the interior and amplifying the overall pattern play with a dappled light show that is particularly dramatic as the late afternoons kindle into night.
—Mayer Rus, Architectural Digest, 8 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for alchemy 
Jodie Cook, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024
And that alchemy and that explosion of emotions is probably somewhere in the movie.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2024
When a public figure sits across from a podcast host to embark on a purportedly shapeless, stream-of-consciousness chat suffused with crude jokes and senseless tangents, an odd alchemy occurs: the speakers begin to sound like pals bantering at a pre-game, with the listener as a silent confidant.
—Brady Brickner-Wood, The New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2024
Natural light is a critical component of Pardo’s alchemy, animating the interior and amplifying the overall pattern play with a dappled light show that is particularly dramatic as the late afternoons kindle into night.
—Mayer Rus, Architectural Digest, 8 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for alchemy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alchemy
Noun
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That is to say that occultism is less concerned with faith or facts, but rather with fancy.Ed Simon, TIME, 31 Oct. 2024
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But Winthrop wasn’t the only figure in American history to see in occultism the possibility of imagining different ways of being, of human improvement.Ed Simon, TIME, 31 Oct. 2024
Noun
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The flute was not the only magic in this performance.Maxwell Alexander, The Mercury News, 4 Nov. 2024
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The fact is that King tapped into a singular magic with his take on Michael Bond’s iconic British immigrant, but even the lesser spell that another filmmaker might cast with it would be preferable to depriving audiences another go-around with Ben Whishaw and the Brown family.David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Sam uses her sorcery to help advance her husband’s career and for chores around the house.Lisa Stardust, People.com, 26 Oct. 2024
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The lack of weight here helps enormously, of course—and this is the sorcery behind how the Spring manages 140 miles per charge on such a tiny battery.Jeremy White, WIRED, 5 Aug. 2024
Noun
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But new research suggests that one English woman convicted of witchcraft and condemned to be hanged may have escaped the noose.Julia Buckley, CNN, 31 Oct. 2024
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From the business of witchcraft on Etsy to the grim—and lucrative—reality of catastrophe bonds, our journalists have covered some disconcerting subjects in the past year.Chris Dobstaff, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
Noun
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That means a lack of clarity, lower-quality textures, missing lighting effects, and artifacts around characters as reconstruction wizardry fails to keep up.Craig Grannell, WIRED, 4 Nov. 2024
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Zoe passes the time by interrogating Chase about his money, prompted by Morgan Bote’s vocal interest in Chase’s financial wizardry.Sarene Leeds, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Alchemy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alchemy. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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