spell 1 of 2

verb

ˈspel How to pronounce spell (audio)
Definition of spellnext
Enter your own sentence containing spell , and get words to replace it.
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1
as in to possess
to cast a spell on it was as if he had spelled the public into believing his ridiculous claims

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2
as in to mean
to communicate or convey (as an idea) to the mind that summertime combination of hot temperatures and equally hot tempers can spell trouble

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spell

2 of 2

noun

1
as in curse
a spoken word or set of words believed to have magic power the witch cast a spell that turned the prince into a toad

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2
as in bout
a sudden experiencing of a physical or mental disorder a dizzy spell that caused me to fall

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3
as in while
an indefinite but usually short period of time come rest a spell

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of spell
Verb
For the space agency's Artemis program to return humans to the Moon, Starship's problems spell more delays. — Ryan Whitwam, Ars Technica, 10 Mar. 2025 This makes sense—with such a high investment, a small error can spell disaster. — Sebastiaan Verhaar, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
Noun
Josh Gray snapped that spell with a powerful dunk inside. — Scott Chasen, Kansas City Star, 9 Mar. 2025 But when the spell goes awry, foes of Spider-Man from across the multiverse are on the hunt for him. — Jacqueline Weiss, People.com, 8 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for spell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spell
  1. possess
  2. mean
  3. curse
  4. bout
  5. while
  6. charm
  7. signify
  8. incantation
Verb
  • Wynn-Williams’ book does possess a feature common to tell-all memoirs.
    — Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2025
  • In late January, authorities arrested Christopher Kegan Williams, a Sacramento County man who has been charged with murder and possessing drugs for sale in the death of Collanton’s son, 20-year-old Spencer Newsom.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 20 Mar. 2025
Definition of possess
Verb
  • This meant many people started to want to be comedians, which fed into that culture of competition.
    — Ollie Barder, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
  • Read Next National Pastor in charge of disabled man’s money stole thousands for his church, officials say February 08, 2024 1:54 PM Read Next National Pastor pocketed nearly $900,000 meant for his church, feds say.
    — Rhiannon Saegert, Kansas City Star, 21 Mar. 2025
Definition of mean
Noun
  • Then, Democrats have to be thinking about what happens if Republicans only have a mild case of the midterm curse.
    — Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Flubber can do anything, which is both a blessing and a curse for Professor Brainard.
    — Kara Nesvig, Parents, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of curse
Noun
  • Francis was admitted to Gemelli hospital Feb. 14 after a bout of bronchitis worsened.
    — Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2025
  • Foreman gained stature in the late 1960s and ultimately secured the Heavyweight Championship in January 1973 by defeating Frazier with six knockouts in a bout held in Kingston, Jamaica.
    — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 22 Mar. 2025
Definition of bout
Noun
  • It’s been around for a while, but lately, it’s gotten so bad that even the FBI and several U.S. cities have started warning people.
    — Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, Fox News, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Creighton Blue Jays The Blue Jays have been a really good team out of the Big East for a while.
    — Mark Davis, Newsweek, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of while
Verb
  • Perhaps this is why Trump seems instead to have landed on a strategy of trying to charm Greenlanders into voting for independence from Denmark.
    — Louise Bokkenheuser, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2025
  • While some people were charmed by the video, others were more critical.
    — Adrianna Rodriguez, USA TODAY, 10 Mar. 2025
Definition of charm
Verb
  • Technology stocks have been battered this year after the recent market meltdown, which drove the S & P 500 into correction territory last week and has the Nasdaq Composite still trading in a correction , a term signifying that an index is down more than 10% from its recent high.
    — Pia Singh, CNBC, 19 Mar. 2025
  • To Ukraine, Russia is an existential threat to its sovereignty, as proven by Moscow's invasion, which is viewed in the West as an imperial war of conquest and signifies a broader threat to Europe.
    — Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of signify
Noun
  • This outsider ritually led a wild bull, magically and temporarily tamed by incantation, through the streets, drawing ever closer to the Vatican, until he was finally arrested by papal authorities.
    — The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 26 Sep. 2024
  • The story ends in the village of Hammondsport, where Drew was killed, with a kind of incantation of the cycle of life on Keuka Lake.
    — Willing Davidson, The New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2025
Definition of incantation

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Cite this Entry

“Spell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spell. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

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