1
as in incantations
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 bouts
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 whiles
an indefinite but usually short period of time
come rest a spell
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in possesses
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 means
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 spells
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2025
With all the new faces, the leadership of players like Alanna Kennedy and Katie Zelem — fresh off the plane from Los Angeles after spells at Angel City — can offer a lot, given their previous WSL experience.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2025
According to Henry Mason, owner of CrystalConjureMagic, customers typically purchase spells for friends, family, or events that are important to them.
—Taylor Crumpton, Time, 2 Sep. 2025
If your containers excessively dried out during one of the recent spells of hot weather, your annuals may have been damaged and may need some tender loving care to recover.
—Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 30 Aug. 2025
Robson also had two spells as coach at PSV.
—Harry De Cosemo, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
United fans, though, are running out of patience, despite some brief signs of improvement during spells of matches this season.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
One is the main character called the Tsugiri, or sword, which directly attacks foes, and the other is the Kagura, which means staff, and is responsible for support attacks such as spells.
—Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2025
Children diagnosed with whooping cough, a respiratory infection, can lose their breath, have apnea spells, or vomit.
—Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2025
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Its songs are stacked with nods to John the Conqueror root (a plant that’s thought to enhance luck), and spells to bring back a lover.
—Danielle Amir Jackson, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
When a mother tree is felled, the survival rate of many of its seedlings may be drastically reduced, a process not unlike the reciprocal feedback loop of Yggdrasill, whose deterioration in response to discord in the nine realms spells cosmic collapse.
—Ellen Walker, JSTOR Daily, 3 Sep. 2025
Most of the stations of Faithfull’s cross also get visited here, including the overdoses and struggles with addiction, breakups, a miscarried child, and spells when she was clearly being exploited by others who were happy to use her notoriety to their own advantage.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2025
As a result, this spells bad news for the other teams in the NFC North.
—Eduardo Razo, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
London has been baked by rolling heat waves this summer, which almost always spells bad news in Rainham.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2025
Lots of people succeeding at enterprise spells a good economy.
—Brian Domitrovic, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2025
Noun
Other hydrangea types, like panicle and smooth, grow on new wood so they can be pruned in fall, but waiting until spring provides protection against new growth emerging during warm spells.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2025
With all the new faces, the leadership of players like Alanna Kennedy and Katie Zelem — fresh off the plane from Los Angeles after spells at Angel City — can offer a lot, given their previous WSL experience.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2025
According to Henry Mason, owner of CrystalConjureMagic, customers typically purchase spells for friends, family, or events that are important to them.
—Taylor Crumpton, Time, 2 Sep. 2025
If your containers excessively dried out during one of the recent spells of hot weather, your annuals may have been damaged and may need some tender loving care to recover.
—Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 30 Aug. 2025
Robson also had two spells as coach at PSV.
—Harry De Cosemo, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
United fans, though, are running out of patience, despite some brief signs of improvement during spells of matches this season.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
One is the main character called the Tsugiri, or sword, which directly attacks foes, and the other is the Kagura, which means staff, and is responsible for support attacks such as spells.
—Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2025
Children diagnosed with whooping cough, a respiratory infection, can lose their breath, have apnea spells, or vomit.
—Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2025
Verb
Look, here is Iain, who spells his name the proper way, has a mullet, and is from Northern Ireland.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Its songs are stacked with nods to John the Conqueror root (a plant that’s thought to enhance luck), and spells to bring back a lover.
—Danielle Amir Jackson, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
When a mother tree is felled, the survival rate of many of its seedlings may be drastically reduced, a process not unlike the reciprocal feedback loop of Yggdrasill, whose deterioration in response to discord in the nine realms spells cosmic collapse.
—Ellen Walker, JSTOR Daily, 3 Sep. 2025
Most of the stations of Faithfull’s cross also get visited here, including the overdoses and struggles with addiction, breakups, a miscarried child, and spells when she was clearly being exploited by others who were happy to use her notoriety to their own advantage.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2025
As a result, this spells bad news for the other teams in the NFC North.
—Eduardo Razo, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
London has been baked by rolling heat waves this summer, which almost always spells bad news in Rainham.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2025
Lots of people succeeding at enterprise spells a good economy.
—Brian Domitrovic, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spells
Noun
-
There’s a little bit of mystery with the spirits, incantations and rituals.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Nor does the Love Actually star plan a viewing, because Nighy, admitting to crippling bouts of screen fright, has long refused to view any of his performances, alone or alongside audiences.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Over his career, Inoue won and defended the WBO junior bantamweight title seven times before moving to bantamweight for nine bouts.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Brian Dunne’s terrific new album Clams Casino possesses that same kind of teleportation magic, albeit with less nostalgia and more melancholy.—
Joseph Hudak,
Rolling Stone,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Sometimes the Essex Hellhound possesses a man.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This means designing curricula that force students to grapple with complexity before introducing AI assistance.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Whether that means living tiny on a beautiful plot of land or looking to add more livable square footage to your backyard, this open tiny home with lots of charm has endless possibilities at only 209 square feet.—
Gabriela Izquierdo,
Southern Living,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Democrats like Bell continue to defend Israel from progressive attacks.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Terrorists expanded their use of the internet for a wide range of activities, including planning attacks, radicalization and recruitment, propaganda dissemination, and fundraising.—
Richard Frankel,
ABC News,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The goal is to sit at the center of every money move—paying rent, parking spare cash in a three-month T-bill, even accessing emergency funds on a Sunday—while quietly automating the bits that don't need hands-on attention.—
Jamie Elkaleh,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Scientists thought these spiky bits might be spiny scales, like those found on the bodies of rays and sharks.—
Staff Author,
PEOPLE,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This public vitriol signifies a point of no return.—
Khaled Hassan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Sep. 2025
-
The women of #MomTok have been in high demand, and Paul’s leading Bachelorette status further signifies that.—
McKinley Franklin,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
As rocks and curses flew from the street, bullets spat from the middle window on the south side of the house.—
Neal Rubin,
Freep.com,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Seth was given the job to create a list of curses and a list of clean words that Steve could shout.—
Ryan Gajewski,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spells.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spells. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
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