as in magic
having seemingly supernatural qualities or powers
some have sensed a numinous energy in the landscape around Sedona, Arizona
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Recent Examples of numinous
Though also suspended, Bo Bardi’s building generously offers a sheltering agora for all people on the street rather than a numinous temple for rarefied art audiences.
—
Michaëla De Lacaze Mohrmann, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
In this numinous world, visitors come by for death bed reckonings, and the CEO will have many scores to settle.
—Emma Alpern, Vulture, 30 Dec. 2025
Starting with Neptune retrograde in Aries on July 4, this transit will likely create confusion in your love life as the numinous fog surrounds your romantic and creative endeavors.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 8 July 2025
Much is achieved through the simple act of exhibiting the numinous paintings of Varo and those of other women such as Leonora Carrington and Dorothea Tanning, who the misogynist Breton counted as muses rather than artists.
—Jonathon Keats, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for numinous
Michaëla De Lacaze Mohrmann, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
In this numinous world, visitors come by for death bed reckonings, and the CEO will have many scores to settle.
—Emma Alpern, Vulture, 30 Dec. 2025
Starting with Neptune retrograde in Aries on July 4, this transit will likely create confusion in your love life as the numinous fog surrounds your romantic and creative endeavors.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 8 July 2025
Much is achieved through the simple act of exhibiting the numinous paintings of Varo and those of other women such as Leonora Carrington and Dorothea Tanning, who the misogynist Breton counted as muses rather than artists.
—Jonathon Keats, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for numinous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for numinous
Adjective
-
According to AltarR Capital founder and managing partner Igor Ryabenky, investors are now avoiding companies that use AI like a magic catch-all.—
Joe Wilkins,
Futurism,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Regular magic devotees such as myself will have seen all of his tricks before, in the raw sense, but his show is highly engaging nonetheless because of his ability to live in the moment and react in a live way to what is going on in the room.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
At Barclays Center, Florence + the Machine gather participants to complete the spell-casting circle of their mystic and witchy art-pop (April 21-22, 24).—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
27 Feb. 2026
-
The language has mystic overtones and rhythmic sections; it might be better felt than understood.—
Sarah Hepola,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Steve Carell taught it, and Adam McKay developed an entire new way of doing it with his group, so to get in there and have that happen was just absolutely magical.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Nobody has ever called Brentford head coach Keith Andrews a magical or imaginary being.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Numinous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/numinous. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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