jinx 1 of 2

noun

ˈjiŋ(k)s How to pronounce jinx (audio)
Definition of jinxnext
as in curse
something that brings bad luck believed the broken mirror was a jinx

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

jinx

2 of 2

verb

as in to curse

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 jinx
Noun
Petteys, the Big East Freshman of the Year in 2025, has made the classic leap as a sophomore, with no sign of a jinx or slump that sometimes comes with having already accomplished something special. — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 30 Apr. 2026 When interviewed last June, Delap dismissed the notion of the No 9 shirt at Chelsea being a jinx. — Simon Johnson, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2026
Verb
So, afraid that switching the $20 ticket might jinx her chances, the woman kept it. — Paloma Chavez, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026 Many believe that flowers, appropriate as congratulations after a successful show, could very well jinx the performance if given before the actors have taken the stage and earned applause. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for jinx
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jinx
  1. curse
  2. possess
  3. spell
  4. charm
  5. voodoo
Noun
  • King portrays her older daughter, Kylie, who sets out to break the family’s curse, and Williams steps into the shoes of the younger daughter, Antonia.
    — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 3 Aug. 2026
  • But the Owens family’s 300-year-old curse carries one generation forward, striking Sally’s daughter Kylie and her lover (Xolo Maridueña), who gets hit by a car while bicycling with several bouquets of roses.
    — Angelique Jackson, Variety, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of curse
Verb
  • Older rural residents often are familiar with senior center staff, and staff possess deep knowledge of local contexts.
    — Eric Cerino, The Conversation, 3 Aug. 2026
  • After Kendall’s defense petitioned for weapons charges to be tried in front of a judge rather than a jury, he was also found guilty of possessing an assault weapon.
    — Eleanor Jacobs, PEOPLE, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of possess
Noun
  • Hong returned as national team coach in 2024 after a previous spell in charge from 2013 to 2014.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Recent research has highlighted the role of supply shocks in recessions over a long spell of history.
    — Bill Conerly, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of spell
Verb
  • Everyone is giggling about his vocabulary, but they’re still charmed.
    — Selome Hailu, Variety, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Robert Schwartzman charmed in The Princess Diaries as Michael Moscovitz, Lilly’s shy, hipster older brother, who plays in a band and has a crush on Mia.
    — Madeline Boardman, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of charm
Verb
  • More on culture An Eagles fan brought a Patrick Mahomes voodoo doll to the Super Bowl.
    — Emily Bazelon, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2025
  • Despite his clearly enjoying killing people for personal reasons, the movie’s Kraven seems to think of himself as a kind of antihero, which voodoo practitioner Calypso (Ariana DeBose) rightfully clocks as a red flag.
    — Charles Pulliam-Moore, The Verge, 20 June 2023
Definition of voodoo

Browse Nearby Words

jinni
jinx
jinxed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Jinx.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jinx. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on jinx

Nglish: Translation of jinx for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of nurture

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All