numinous

adjective

ˈnü-mə-nəs How to pronounce numinous (audio)
Definition of numinousnext
as in magic
having seemingly supernatural qualities or powers some have sensed a numinous energy in the landscape around Sedona, Arizona

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 numinous An aspect between love planet Venus and numinous Neptune heightens our intuition, compassionand ability to read between the lines. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 8 July 2026 In an old-growth forest, the beauty of old trees intertwines with the bodies of those trying to save them, creating something numinous. — Robert Moor, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for numinous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for numinous
  1. magic
  2. mystic
  3. magical
Adjective
  • On the pitching front, there is no magic answer for succeeding at Coors Field, but the way the Rockies’ front office identifies and selects pitchers will be equally interesting this weekend.
    — Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 9 July 2026
  • The evening will include a magic show, a balloon twister and the district’s climbing tree, according to an electronic newsletter.
    — Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026
Definition of magic
Adjective
  • His guru, Ramakrishna, was a 19th-century mystic and spiritual teacher in Bengal whose teachings on the unity underlying all religions shaped the worldview Vivekananda would go on to spread globally.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 4 July 2026
  • In Mozart’s opera, Tamino, a prince in a fairyland of mystic temples and mystifying gods, relies on his supernatural flute that turn sorrow into joy to get him out of jams.
    — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2026
Definition of mystic
Adjective
  • There are no Zeus or Poseidon or Ino or Heracles sightings, and the herald Hermes, who has a pretty big role in Homer’s tale — freeing Odysseus from Calypso and giving him a magical herb to shield him from Circe’s spells — is nowhere to be found.
    — Marlow Stern, Variety, 17 July 2026
  • Geneva Lewis plays the work’s magical violin part, conducted by Nicolas Ellis; the event also includes music by Wagner, Vaughan Williams and others.
    — Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 16 July 2026
Definition of magical

Browse Nearby Words

numerous
numinous
numinousness
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Cite this Entry

“Numinous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/numinous. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on numinous

Nglish: Translation of numinous for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about numinous

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