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gris-gris

noun

variants also grigri
Definition of gris-grisnext
as in juju

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of gris-gris Often these assemblages of items are tied together in a bundle or bag and may be referred to as hands, mojos, or gris-gris. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gris-gris
  1. juju
  2. talisman
  3. amulet
Noun
  • As Stevie Wonder’s eponymous 1972 hit suggests, there’s something specifically ominous about a 13-month-old baby that puts it in league with the bad juju of falling ladders and broken looking glasses.
    — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Whatever juju, imagined or self-made, permeating throughout the Braves’ roster over the last few weeks was exorcised Wednesday.
    — Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of juju
Noun
  • And thankfully for Leipzig head coach Martin Demichelis, Nusa remains at the club and will be expected to become their attacking talisman in the Champions League.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Picture frames, plants, and talismans cover all available wall and table space.
    — Emma Watson, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of talisman
Noun
  • The Rahvi lights, meanwhile, are adorned with jewelry-like amulets of semiprecious stones.
    — Sean Santiago, Architectural Digest, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Since these figures have been found in excavations of homes, streets, and tombs, it is believed they were used as everyday objects, perhaps to promote fertility or used as children’s toys or household amulets.
    — Leigh Anne Miller, ARTnews.com, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of amulet

Browse Nearby Words

grisettes
gris-gris
grisliness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gris-gris.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gris-gris. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

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