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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of spell
ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026
Thanks to cask beer manager Mason Swierenga, Wren’s pours are known for soft carbonation, live yeast, plush mouthfeel, and a slow pour that builds its own head—under the cask’s spell, hops and malts show different faces.
—Chris Malloy, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 Apr. 2026
Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026
Will this spell the end for Sheldon Keefe?
—Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spell
Noun
Coach Ralf Rangnick took over in 2022 after spells with Manchester United, Hoffenheim, Schalke and Stuttgart and Leipzig.
—ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026
Thanks to cask beer manager Mason Swierenga, Wren’s pours are known for soft carbonation, live yeast, plush mouthfeel, and a slow pour that builds its own head—under the cask’s spell, hops and malts show different faces.
—Chris Malloy, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 Apr. 2026
Verb
Not familiar with peri peri chicken (often spelled piri piri)?
—Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026
Will this spell the end for Sheldon Keefe?
—Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spell
Noun
-
In the first story, a couple worry about how a possible family curse that began when an ancestor made a bargain to escape enslavement might affect their happy life.—
Emma Alpern,
Vulture,
8 Apr. 2026
-
There are still deliveries of hate mail from conservative neighbors who disapprove of their lifestyle, and occasional drive-bys punctuated with curses yelled from car windows, but they’ve largely been accepted by the community.—
Stephanie Breijo,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The practice has often come under fire for destabilizing markets and accelerating sharp sell-offs during bouts of extreme volatility and pushing vulnerable companies into distress.—
Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The narrator in Pseudo-Quintilian’s fiction complains of the unfairness of the bout.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Check in once in a while, keep things from drifting too far away from your goals, and every month can be Financial Literacy Month.—
byDoug Ashburn,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
13 Apr. 2026
-
That said, Imalent has been in the EDC and outdoors flashlight business for a while now, has launched three other products on Kickstarter previously, and sells a range of gear via its site.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Marcel Ware, 20, faces felony charges of possessing an assault rifle, gun and ammunition possession by a felon, and a misdemeanor count of resisting arrest.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
As a form of lignocellulosic waste harvested from the tree’s exterior, DPSFs possess a lightweight, fibrous structure high in lignin and cellulose.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That means that all of the Navy ships currently in the Middle East can play a role in enforcing a blockade.—
Luis Martinez,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The warning means residents should avoid burning due to strong winds and low humidity levels.—
Joseph Dames,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In that loud and sultry enclosure, the aspirants lined up and repeated the same information, over and over, like an incantation to open a magic door.—
Taran Khan,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Where ancient midwives had summoned divine assistance by uttering incantations, medieval maternity caregivers called upon saintly mothers by reciting rhythmical charms.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
There are also other artists, like Patricia Frischer, who has been doing a series of images about the #MeToo movement and women’s rights, which are also under attack at the moment.—
Lisa Deaderick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Cooper said that no US ships have come under attack since the operation began, and as of Friday there had been 19 vessels that had attempted to violate the blockade but heeded US warnings and returned back to port without incident.—
Mitchell McCluskey,
CNN Money,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Ryan Gosling’s sci-fi space flick is still defying gravity at the box office, dropping only 23 percent in its fourth week, per Comscore.—
Kathleen Perricone,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Apr. 2026
-
People gathered there in the hope that there would be space for them on a helicopter.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spell. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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