magic

noun mag·ic \ ˈma-jik \

|Updated on: 13 Jul 2018

Examples: magic in a Sentence

1 a : the use of means (such as charms or spells) believed to have supernatural power over natural forces

b : magic rites or incantations

2 a : an extraordinary power or influence seemingly from a supernatural source

Both pitchers, although they are older, haven't lost their magic.

b : something that seems to cast a spell : enchantment

all the mystery, magic and romance which belong to royalty alone
—J. E. P. Grigg

3 : the art of producing illusions by sleight of hand

entertained with acts of jugglery and magic

See magic defined for English-language learners

See magic defined for kids

Examples of magic in a Sentence

children who believe in magic
a book that explains how to do magic
Both pitchers, though they are older, haven't lost their magic.

Recent Examples of magic from the Web

Computers felt like magic, and VR was like computers multiplied by Christmas.

— peter rubin, WIRED, "VR Is Back in Pop Culture—As a Warning," 29 June 2018
Time with family or friends; time with your significant other or your significant others; time alone or with your dog, free from that which hangs over our heads at all times in the air like magic: the web.

— kelly conaboy, The Cut, "There Should Be No Internet for One Weekend Per Month," 29 June 2018
Music, magic and mead fill this interactive village, open Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with Saturday night shows at 7 and 9 p.m. $15, $10 ages 10 to 14; $5 ages 5 to 8.

— christopher arnott, courant.com, "Things To Do This Week," 25 June 2018
There will be cheer and dance performances, along with magic and musical acts.

— geoff bruce, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Everything you need to know about Fourth of July in Milwaukee and the suburbs," 6 June 2018
Go out and play in the magic Cap – this will be worth it.

— rebecca gordon, Harper's BAZAAR, "A Cosmic Look at Your Next 7 Years," 17 May 2018
To critics such as AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc., the largest theater chain in the world, this looks like a comeuppance for a business strategy that always required either suspension of disbelief or faith in Silicon Valley-style magic.

— kyle stock, Bloomberg.com, "How Two Million People Loved MoviePass Nearly to Death," 16 May 2018
Much like the black pride movement fueled the earliest black cards at Hallmark, now the Black Lives Matter movement — with its accompanying celebration of black girl magic and black boy joy — has ushered in a new era of Mahogany.

— jeneé osterheldt, kansascity, "30 years of Mahogany: Thanks, Hallmark, for understanding how Black Lives Matter | The Kansas City Star," 3 May 2018
An accomplished magician, Anderson made numerous appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson to show off his skills and was featured in the 1987 magic special, Harry Anderson’s Sideshow.

— will mendelson, EW.com, "Harry Anderson, star of Night Court, dies at 65," 16 Apr. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of magic

Middle English magique, from Middle French, from Latin magice, from Greek magikē, feminine of magikos Magian, magical, from magos magus, sorcerer, of Iranian origin; akin to Old Persian maguš sorcerer

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

magic Synonyms

Other Occult Terms

augury, censor, invocation, lucidity, metempsychosis, mojo, numinous, preternatural, weird, wraith

magic

adjective

1 : of or relating to magic

2 a : having seemingly supernatural qualities or powers

b : giving a feeling of enchantment

—

magical

play \ˈma-ji-kəl\ adjective

—

magically

play \-ji-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

See magic defined for English-language learners

Examples of magic in a Sentence

a magic potion that makes you able to fly
There is no magic solution to these problems.

Recent Examples of magic from the Web

Upon meeting the beautiful Princess Jasmine, Aladdin stumbles upon a magic lamp that reveals a wish-granting genie, who helps him win the heart of the princess.

— sydney odman, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Aladdin': Everything to Know About the Live-Action Remake of the Disney Classic," 5 July 2018
During the curatorial process Saillard met Martine Lenoir, now 75, who had worked as a dressmaker chez Grès in the 1970s and 80s and knew the magic secrets of that inscrutable designer’s hand.

— hamish bowles, Vogue, "Olivier Saillard Twists and Drapes 5-Euro Tees Into Couture One-Offs Worthy of Madame Grès in Paris," 30 June 2018
The latter pursuit ruptured the magic man’s friendship with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of the fictional sleuth Sherlock Holmes, when Houdini exposed Conan Doyle’s wife as a fraud.

— mary carole mccauley, baltimoresun.com, "Behind the magic of Harry Houdini at the Jewish Museum of Maryland," 29 June 2018
Despite every footwear brand's attempts right now to find the magic formula for a hit sneaker, none exists.

— tyler watamanuk, GQ, "The Nike React Element 87 Is the Swoosh's Next Hit Sneaker," 27 June 2018
This faire runs through July 8 and features lots of performances: medieval magic acts, swordplay, storytelling, folk dances and even a serialized drama.

— christopher arnott, courant.com, "Little Theatre Of Manchester, Curtain Call Announce New Seasons," 26 June 2018
One day, an American president, with brave partners from both sides, would arrive at the magic formula for peace — a two-state solution that both Israeli and Palestinian voters would support.

— heather hurlburt, Daily Intelligencer, "‘Status Quo Minus’ in Israel and Palestine," 14 May 2018
Places such as that pool on the South Llano underscore that richness and the magic quality rivers hold.

— shannon tompkins, Houston Chronicle, "Catch the good times rolling on the rivers," 12 May 2018
Not a magic potion Toni Camacho doesn’t claim turmeric is some kind of miracle drug.

— doug williams, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Turmeric: superfood or superhype," 25 June 2018

Origin and Etymology of magic

see ¹magic

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

magic Synonyms

Synonyms

magical, mystic, occult, weird;

Near Antonyms

commonplace, everyday, normal, ordinary, prosaic, routine, run-of-the-mill, unexceptional, unremarkable, usual, workaday;

Related Words

bewitched, enchanted, spellbound;

bewitching, charming, conjuring, enchanting, wiling;

amazing, astonishing, astounding, awesome, extraordinary, fabulous, marvelous (or marvellous), miraculous, portentous, stunning, stupendous, sublime, wondrous;

divining, forecasting, foreknowing, foreseeing, foretelling, predicting, presaging, prognosticating, prophesying, soothsaying;

metaphysical, preternatural, unearthly;

magic

verb

magicked; magicking

transitive verb

: to produce, remove, or influence by magic

Recent Examples of magic from the Web

It’s hard to see how wanting to magic away their beliefs is compatible with an expansive vision of tolerance that would bring ideological balance to secular universities.

— alan levinovitz, Slate Magazine, "Today’s political climate doesn’t require more tolerance. It requires less.," 20 Mar. 2017
On Halloween, Williams Sonoma released the collection for Muggles who manage to magic in the kitchen.

— melissa minton, Teen Vogue, ""Harry Potter" Collection Debuts at Williams Sonoma," 1 Nov. 2017
Slick, smooth-talking Captain Greedy can juggle, balance and do magic tricks — all calculated to impress as well as distract.

— daryl h. miller, latimes.com, "Capitalism as a sideshow fleece: That's 'Captain Greedy's Carnival' by the Actors' Gang," 13 Oct. 2017
As Stephen K. Ritter reports for Chemical & Engineering News, researchers at Friedrich Schiller University in Jena, Germany have isolated four enzymes that magic mushrooms use to make psilocybin.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "Scientists Unlock Magic Mushrooms’ Mysterious Chemical Compound," 19 Aug. 2017
Brewers’ efforts to magic up a new daypart for beer come as sales of the beverage are falling, both in the U.S. and world-wide.

— lara o’reilly, WSJ, "CMO Today: WPP Suffers Hack; Brunch Beer; Verizon Pursues Carrier Data Tie-Ups," 28 June 2017

First Known Use of magic

1906

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

MAGIC Defined for English Language Learners

magic

noun

: a power that allows people (such as witches and wizards) to do impossible things by saying special words or performing special actions
: tricks that seem to be impossible and that are done by a performer to entertain people
: special power, influence, or skill

magic

adjective

: having the power to make impossible things happen : having supernatural power
: involving the skill of doing tricks that seem to be impossible
: capable of producing good results very easily

MAGIC Defined for Kids

magic

noun mag·ic \ ˈma-jik \

1 : the power to control natural forces possessed by certain persons (as wizards and witches) in folk tales and fiction

2 : the art or skill of performing tricks or illusions for entertainment

3 : a power that seems mysterious

The team lost its magic.

4 : something that charms

They calmed us with the magic of their singing.

magic

adjective

1 : having or seeming to have the power to make impossible things happen

She chanted the magic words.

2 : of or relating to the power to make impossible things happen

magic tricks

3 : giving a feeling of enchantment

It was a magic moment.

Learn More about magic

See words that rhyme with magic Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for magic Spanish Central: Translation of magic Nglish: Translation of magic for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of magic for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about magic

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magic

Examples of magic in a Sentence

Recent Examples of magic from the Web

Origin and Etymology of magic

magic Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Near Antonyms

Related Words

Other Occult Terms

magic

magical

magically

Examples of magic in a Sentence

Recent Examples of magic from the Web

Origin and Etymology of magic

magic Synonyms

Synonyms

Near Antonyms

Related Words

magic

Recent Examples of magic from the Web

First Known Use of magic

Phrases Related to MAGIC

Related Phrases

MAGIC Defined for English Language Learners

magic

magic

MAGIC Defined for Kids

magic

magic

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