superstitious

adjective

su·​per·​sti·​tious ˌsü-pər-ˈsti-shəs How to pronounce superstitious (audio)
: of, relating to, or swayed by superstition
a superstitious ritual
superstitiously adverb

Examples of superstitious in a Sentence

He's very superstitious and won't pitch without his lucky mitt.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Even the least superstitious among us would be hard-pressed to deny that an abnormal amount of terrible things have happened to the Kennedy family. Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 20 Jan. 2026 The superstitious beliefs need to be undermined, to have their error made clear. Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2026 Even the least superstitious Singaporeans take pains to insure their investments against supernatural disturbance. Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025 Unfortunately, for those who are superstitious, Friday the 13th will also occur in February, March, and November. Julia Gomez, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for superstitious

Word History

Etymology

Middle English supersticious, from Anglo-French supersticius, from Latin superstitiosus, from superstitio

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of superstitious was in the 15th century

Cite this Entry

“Superstitious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/superstitious. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

superstitious

adjective
su·​per·​sti·​tious ˌsü-pər-ˈstish-əs How to pronounce superstitious (audio)
: of, relating to, or influenced by superstition
superstitiously adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on superstitious

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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