bewitch

verb

be·​witch bi-ˈwich How to pronounce bewitch (audio)
bē-
bewitched; bewitching; bewitches

transitive verb

1
a
: to influence or affect especially injuriously by witchcraft
b
: to cast a spell over
2
: to attract as if by the power of witchcraft : enchant, fascinate
bewitched by her beauty

intransitive verb

: to bewitch someone or something
bewitchery noun

Example Sentences

People believed the girls had been bewitched. a Wiccan who believes that it is indeed possible to bewitch someone
Recent Examples on the Web The patches of feathers with the greatest diversity of colors were the top of the birds’ heads and their throats — both areas are used for social signalling as well as to bewitch potential mates. Grrlscientist, Forbes, 26 June 2022 The idea, ultimately, is to bewitch readers with the story while also representing the islands in a way that is both culturally respectful and authentic. Seth Combs Writer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Jan. 2022 This performance was strong enough to bewitch some formidable minds, at least temporarily. Benjamin Anastas, The New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2021 Anyone with a brain and a heartbeat will find something to bewitch, beguile, and, yes, bewilder since the art’s both cutting-edge and bleeding-edge. Brian T. Allen, National Review, 23 Sep. 2020 Take the moment in Act 2 when Albrecht, the morally deficient nobleman who’s been bewitched to dance himself to death, begins his coda with a bravura series of entrechat-sixes. Washington Post, 29 Apr. 2020 Yet there was something bewitching about her resolve. New York Times, 25 Feb. 2020 With issue #700, former Marvel Comics writer Nick Spencer began his own tale – and guess what bewitching Greendale resident is suddenly attending Riverdale High? cleveland, 6 Feb. 2020 For his first opera, Hans Abrahamsen—a Danish compatriot of Andersen’s and composer—has transformed the tale of a girl’s quest for a lost friend bewitched by icy powers into a sparkling snowscape of orchestral and vocal colours. The Economist, 31 Dec. 2019 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bewitch.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of bewitch was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near bewitch

Cite this Entry

“Bewitch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bewitch. Accessed 22 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

bewitch

verb
be·​witch bi-ˈwich How to pronounce bewitch (audio)
1
: to put under a spell
2
: to attract or delight as if by magic
bewitchment
-mənt
noun

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