as in witches
someone who is believed in some cultures to be able to use magic to cure people who are sick, to control future events, etc.
went to the shaman for a remedy
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Recent Examples of shamans
The retreats are usually led by facilitators, shamans or therapists.
—
Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 24 Mar. 2026
Carved from whale bones, reindeer antlers and walrus tusks, these fierce talismans are vengeful spirits traditionally created by shamans to destroy enemies.
—R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Researchers believe the structures served as elite burial sites for leaders, priests, or shamans, challenging earlier assumptions that Funnelbeaker societies were strictly egalitarian.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 31 Dec. 2025
By 1901, just seventeen years after contact with the outside world, shamans were cutting their hair, getting baptized, and taking Danish Christian names.
—Ben Taub, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Their society was hierarchical, with those below the caciques known as the nitaínos (elites), behiques (perhaps shamans), and the naborías (usually servants and commoners).
—Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
They are known as witches or evil shamans with the ability to shape-shift into animals or other people and are both feared and respected.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Warriors, shamans and village leaders were placed in a seated position above a burning fire for months at a time, according to the study.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2025
As niche as that plot may sound, its story is rooted in Korean tradition, where many shamans in Korea, who tend to be women, perform various rituals to chase demons away from a household or home.
—Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025
Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 24 Mar. 2026
Carved from whale bones, reindeer antlers and walrus tusks, these fierce talismans are vengeful spirits traditionally created by shamans to destroy enemies.
—R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Researchers believe the structures served as elite burial sites for leaders, priests, or shamans, challenging earlier assumptions that Funnelbeaker societies were strictly egalitarian.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 31 Dec. 2025
By 1901, just seventeen years after contact with the outside world, shamans were cutting their hair, getting baptized, and taking Danish Christian names.
—Ben Taub, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Their society was hierarchical, with those below the caciques known as the nitaínos (elites), behiques (perhaps shamans), and the naborías (usually servants and commoners).
—Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
They are known as witches or evil shamans with the ability to shape-shift into animals or other people and are both feared and respected.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Warriors, shamans and village leaders were placed in a seated position above a burning fire for months at a time, according to the study.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2025
As niche as that plot may sound, its story is rooted in Korean tradition, where many shamans in Korea, who tend to be women, perform various rituals to chase demons away from a household or home.
—Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shamans
Noun
-
The English actor married Persia White — who played Abby Bennett, one of the famous Bennett witches and the mother to Kat Graham's character, Bonnie.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Maul’s return in Season 3 of Clone Wars in 2011, by being revived by witches called Nightsisters on Dathomir, was well-received by fans.—
Daryl Baxter,
Space.com,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Perched in the Hollywood Hills, the Magic Castle is one of Los Angeles’ most unusual landmarks, boasting a private society for magicians tucked inside a mansion known as the Holly Chateau.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
At least one of Tullman’s magicians, Nicholas Locapo, who has moved here from Columbus, Ohio, seemed very happy in that magician’s way.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
TurboTax and FreeTaxUSA use wizards and landing pages that display tax topics to walk you through Form 1040 and its assorted forms and schedules, asking questions and moving your answers to the official IRS forms in the background.—
Kathy Yakal,
PC Magazine,
8 Apr. 2026
-
This one just happens to involve wizards, goblins, and one savage, half-blind dragon.—
Séamas O'Reilly,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
An odder explanation involves sorcerers (koldunï-arbui) and sacrifices.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The land of sorcerers, dragons and savagery played out across eight gripping series, drawing millions of viewers into the fictional worlds of Westeros, Essos, and beyond.—
Connor Sturges,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Wizards, or mages (as the group has commonly referred to Eleven), develop their powers using arcane magic to cast powerful spells.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
26 Nov. 2025
-
Yennefer is now spearheading a new alliance of mages and elves operating out of The Lodge.—
Griff Griffin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Our conjure drives the cinematic imagination of Americans like the hags who ride our backs during our darkest nightmares.—
Essence,
Essence,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Rather than hang out with the two old hags, Cherry decides to try her luck on the stand-up paddleboards with Brigitte and Daniel, but quickly loses her balance.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shamans.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shamans. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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