Synonyms of abracadabra

abracadabra

noun

ˌa-brə-kə-ˈda-brə 

1

as in spell

a spoken word or set of words believed to have magic power

originally, an abracadabra was a cryptogram of the word "abracadabra" that was repeated in diminishing form until it disappeared entirely—supposedly just like the targeted evil or misfortune

Synonyms & Similar Words

• spell
• incantation
• invocation
• curse
• sorcery
• conjuration
• glamour
• enchantment
• magic
• bewitchment
• charm
• whammy
• hex
• witchcraft
• voodoo
• wizardry
• jinx
• conjuring
• talisman
• amulet
• cantrip
• witchery
• necromancy
• mojo
• fetish
• voodooism
• phylactery
• bewitchery

2

as in nonsense

unintelligible or meaningless talk

after some abracadabra the spiritualist announced that we had made contact with "the other side"

Synonyms & Similar Words

• nonsense
• babble
• prattle
• mumbo jumbo
• gabble
• jabber
• gibberish
• chatter
• blah
• gibber
• jabberwocky
• burble
• double-talk
• double Dutch
• drivel
• gab
• hocus-pocus
• slobber
• twaddle
• clatter
• twitter
• blabber
• patter
• prate
• tattle
• clack
• hokeypokey
• cackle

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of abracadabra

What could be more fun than some abracadabra and cathartic wealth redistribution? — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025

There is nothing to choose between them, but there was a consistency, clinical edge and an abracadabra touch that made this performance the best Alcaraz has played in a major final, barring that 2024 demolition of Novak Djokovic on Centre Court. — Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025

That’s seven steps to make abracadabra, whose molecular assembly number is thus seven. — Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 13 Jan. 2023

And there’s an abracadabra quality of pulling a bed out nowhere. — Christine Lennon, Sunset Magazine, 11 Feb. 2022

But Trump’s Hollywood gambits well surpass that obvious bit of abracadabra. — Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019

His utilization of terms like irreducible complexity is about as substantive as chanting abracadabra, but probably just as effective in convincing fellow travelers already sympathetic to his position as shamans were in the days of yore. — Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 5 Sep. 2011