as in hypnosis
the art or act of inducing in a person a sleeplike state during which he or she readily follows suggestions
some people have undergone hypnotism in order to induce them to give up their smoking habit
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Recent Examples of hypnotism
There’s something like a collective hypnotism happening.
—
John Bleasdale, Variety, 7 Aug. 2023
Which is exactly what the 750iL does—in a fine, silent style made up of equal parts hypnotism and seduction.
—Csaba Csere, Car and Driver, 8 Apr. 2023
Perhaps the most iconic hypnotism scene in movie history involves a teacup and a spoon in Jordan Peele’s Oscar-winning 2017 film Get Out.
—Adario Strange, Quartz, 16 Aug. 2022
In the popular consciousness, hypnotism is the stuff of vampires, side shows and watch-waving therapists.
—Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2022
See All Example Sentences for hypnotism
John Bleasdale, Variety, 7 Aug. 2023
Which is exactly what the 750iL does—in a fine, silent style made up of equal parts hypnotism and seduction.
—Csaba Csere, Car and Driver, 8 Apr. 2023
Perhaps the most iconic hypnotism scene in movie history involves a teacup and a spoon in Jordan Peele’s Oscar-winning 2017 film Get Out.
—Adario Strange, Quartz, 16 Aug. 2022
In the popular consciousness, hypnotism is the stuff of vampires, side shows and watch-waving therapists.
—Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2022
See All Example Sentences for hypnotism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hypnotism
Noun
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One issue is that hypnosis has long been viewed as a form of entertainment, a stage show with a hypnotist and an audience, which can give viewers a sense that hypnosis is something done to you rather than a process that a person is led through.—
Rustin Dodd,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
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In other words, an irresistible hypnosis for cinephiles.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Breton aimed to access the unconscious through dream and automatism, a surrealist technique of creating art without conscious control, allowing spontaneous expression from the subconscious mind, free from rational thought or aesthetic rules.—
Sally Jane Brown,
The Conversation,
29 Sep. 2025
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Sheer repetitions on the training ground were La Volpe’s best method of instilling his ideas, insisting that his players practice multiple ‘salidas’ on the left and right side of the pitch in every session to build their muscle memory, trust and automatisms.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Barrymore’s turn in the lead role is itself a feat of silver-screen mesmerism, portraying Svengali as a cruel yet magnetic figure who wields his own charisma as an instrument of terrible power.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
16 Jan. 2025
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The combination of cultural individualism, industrialization, and technological advance created a cultural moment in which audiences were open to and actively explored the idea of unseen forces (hey, if telegraph and photography worked, why not mesmerism, spiritualism, or palm-reading?).—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Oct. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Hypnotism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hypnotism. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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