1
as in curse
a spoken word or set of words believed to have magic power
the witch cast a spell that turned the prince into a toad
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in bout
a sudden experiencing of a physical or mental disorder
a dizzy spell that caused me to fall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in while
an indefinite but usually short period of time
come rest a spell
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to possess
to cast a spell on
it was as if he had spelled the public into believing his ridiculous claims
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to mean
to communicate or convey (as an idea) to the mind
that summertime combination of hot temperatures and equally hot tempers can spell trouble
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of spell
Steven Rosenbaum, CBS News, 17 June 2026
Born in Catalonia, Munoz spent three years in Barcelona’s La Masia youth academy but, after a spell at Catalan youth side CF Damm, joined Real Madrid as an 18-year-old.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 17 June 2026
Dan Duggan, New York Times, 16 June 2026
Aaron Judge, the annual MVP candidate, is injured and typically that has spelled doom for the Yankees.
—David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for spell
Noun
The former Real Madrid midfielder won six Champions Leagues during a trophy-laden spell in Spain.
—Steven Rosenbaum, CBS News, 17 June 2026
Born in Catalonia, Munoz spent three years in Barcelona’s La Masia youth academy but, after a spell at Catalan youth side CF Damm, joined Real Madrid as an 18-year-old.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 17 June 2026
Verb
Thibodeaux will spell those players and likely shift inside more on passing downs.
—Dan Duggan, New York Times, 16 June 2026
Aaron Judge, the annual MVP candidate, is injured and typically that has spelled doom for the Yankees.
—David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for spell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spell
Noun
-
The pressure that comes with ending a beloved TV show is both a blessing and a curse.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
19 June 2026
-
Their greatest gifts are their biggest curses.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
The mass extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs gets most of the buzz, but there was an even worse bout of mass death ages before the dinosaurs said goodbye.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
18 June 2026
-
But for her, his TikToks helped bring joy during a deep bout of depression stemming from a traumatic brain injury.—
Sam Woodward,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
Kelly — a Canadian who's been living in the States a while — admits to not knowing much about the American icon.—
Gerrad Hall,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 June 2026
-
After a while, people get tired of your bottomless melancholy.—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
22 June 2026
Verb
-
Al Qutaibi will serve 30 days in jail on charges of conspiracy to transport unstamped cigarettes, conspiracy to possess a counterfeit tax stamp, and possession of more than 30 cartons of unstamped cigarettes.—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
-
Renard possesses significant international experience, having led Morocco at the 2018 World Cup in their first appearance since 1998, and guiding Saudi Arabia to a shock group stage win over eventual champions Argentina in 2022.—
Sam Joseph,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
DeSantis said last month that the detention facility was always meant to be temporary.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
-
Two rescues within the past week in San Miguel County are a reminder about preparation in Colorado's mountains as the arrival of warm weather means more people in the mountains.—
Alan Gionet,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
The effect, when it is sung in unison by a crowd of 80,000 people, is akin to a kind of incantation.—
Tom Williams,
New York Times,
9 June 2026
-
There is a bopping, rhythmic assonance to Ginsberg’s unspooling lines, more incantation than poetry.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
The Kerch road and rail crossing, opened by Putin in 2018, has been the target of previous Ukrainian attacks.—
Gianluca Mezzofiore,
CNN Money,
20 June 2026
-
Two other individuals survived that attack, the military said.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
Noun
-
Another interesting player in this space is xLight.—
Rob Toews,
Forbes.com,
22 June 2026
-
The key to welcoming gray into your space in 2026 is to opt for warm, layered tones that add depth and dimension.—
Cori Sears,
The Spruce,
21 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spell. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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