jinx

1 of 2

noun

Synonyms of jinx
: one that brings bad luck
also : the state or spell of bad luck brought on by a jinx

jinx

2 of 2

verb

jinxed; jinxing; jinxes

transitive verb

: to foredoom to failure or misfortune : bring bad luck to

Examples of jinx in a Sentence

Noun That guy is a jinx. He felt like he'd finally broken the jinx. She threatened to put a jinx on him. Verb I thought they were going to win but I didn't say so because I didn't want to jinx them. His luck has been so bad he feels jinxed.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Petteys, the Big East Freshman of the Year in 2025, has made the classic leap as a sophomore, with no sign of a jinx or slump that sometimes comes with having already accomplished something special. Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 30 Apr. 2026 Will any of this year's crop break the jinx on March 15? Marco Della Cava, USA Today, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
But maybe, just maybe, Kelce has already jinxed himself? Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 27 May 2026 Footballers tend to be superstitious, and Arsenal’s players have been wary of jinxing a potential title. James McNicholas, New York Times, 19 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for jinx

Word History

Etymology

Noun

perhaps alteration of jynx wryneck; from the use of wrynecks in witchcraft

Verb

derivative of jinx entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1902, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1913, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of jinx was in 1902

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Jinx.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jinx. Accessed 31 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

jinx

1 of 2 noun
: someone or something that brings bad luck

jinx

2 of 2 verb
: to bring bad luck to

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