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
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Recent Examples of spells
David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
The pair are gifted grimoires at the age of 15, though Asta's is a rare Grimoire of Anti-Magic that negates and repels his opponent's spells.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Oct. 2025
Loan spells for Alan Montes and Santiago Muñoz have concluded and Sporting KC will continue to negotiate with Schewe and Muñoz.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2025
Plan for Ear Equalization Baéz says the pressure changes during takeoff and descent can cause discomfort, ear pain, or crying spells.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 23 Oct. 2025
Bette Midler may soon be casting new spells, following the actress giving an update on the status of Hocus Pocus 3.
—Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2025
Still, Madrid’s governance model is integral to the club’s self-image, although few doubt that Perez has been the most influential in setting policy during his two spells as president (2000-2006 and since 2009).
—Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
These are the types of spells that can cost games.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 15 Oct. 2025
Monitor the soil, particularly during warm spells, to keep the roots from drying out completely.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 7 Oct. 2025
Jack O'Connor, Outdoor Life, 23 Oct. 2025
And such prolific usage spells good things against the Panthers, who have struggled defending tight ends and running backs in the passing game this year.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 12 Oct. 2025
A lot of this occurs off-page, in contrast to the movie, which spells things out incredibly plainly.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
Flacco represents an immediate upgrade at quarterback over Browning, and spells good news for fantasy football managers who have worried about the Bengals star wide receivers after a slow start to the season.
—Noah Camras, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Sam Houston is 0-4 (bad), but the program spells Bearkats with a k (good).
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
That spells disaster, says Douglas Webber, emeritus professor of political science at the international business school lNSEAD, south of Paris.
—Eleanor Beardsley, NPR, 9 Sep. 2025
And experts tell Fortune that spells a lot of trouble for innovation and long-term business stability.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 7 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
Noun
My son had to work to follow Jack’s metamorphoses, to track the relationship between the spells and their consequences.
—David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
The pair are gifted grimoires at the age of 15, though Asta's is a rare Grimoire of Anti-Magic that negates and repels his opponent's spells.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Oct. 2025
Loan spells for Alan Montes and Santiago Muñoz have concluded and Sporting KC will continue to negotiate with Schewe and Muñoz.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2025
Plan for Ear Equalization Baéz says the pressure changes during takeoff and descent can cause discomfort, ear pain, or crying spells.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 23 Oct. 2025
Bette Midler may soon be casting new spells, following the actress giving an update on the status of Hocus Pocus 3.
—Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2025
Still, Madrid’s governance model is integral to the club’s self-image, although few doubt that Perez has been the most influential in setting policy during his two spells as president (2000-2006 and since 2009).
—Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
These are the types of spells that can cost games.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 15 Oct. 2025
Monitor the soil, particularly during warm spells, to keep the roots from drying out completely.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
The birds have survived in hordes in the deserts, but civilization nearly always spells their doom.
—Jack O'Connor, Outdoor Life, 23 Oct. 2025
And such prolific usage spells good things against the Panthers, who have struggled defending tight ends and running backs in the passing game this year.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 12 Oct. 2025
A lot of this occurs off-page, in contrast to the movie, which spells things out incredibly plainly.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
Flacco represents an immediate upgrade at quarterback over Browning, and spells good news for fantasy football managers who have worried about the Bengals star wide receivers after a slow start to the season.
—Noah Camras, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Sam Houston is 0-4 (bad), but the program spells Bearkats with a k (good).
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
That spells disaster, says Douglas Webber, emeritus professor of political science at the international business school lNSEAD, south of Paris.
—Eleanor Beardsley, NPR, 9 Sep. 2025
And experts tell Fortune that spells a lot of trouble for innovation and long-term business stability.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 7 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
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
-
The Pistons matchup represents the second straight game in a back-to-back slate of bouts for Cleveland, who vanquished the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday, 118-113, despite a mammoth 40-point, 14-rebound, nine-assist night from two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.—
Alex Kirschenbaum,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Cool-season grasses, on the other hand, are known for their ability to withstand long bouts of cold temperatures, ice, and snow.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
UCHealth’s decision to postpone surgeries whiles staff addressed the sterilization problem stands out from other hospitals that have found themselves in similar situations.—
Jessica Seaman,
Denver Post,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
This molecule possesses both a low lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy and a minimal barrier for releasing lithium ions.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Oct. 2025
-
Hong Kong possesses the heritage, ecosystem, and connectivity to lead this transformation.—
Sunny Tan,
Sourcing Journal,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
This means that filter-feeding oysters would have been able to pass all of Chesapeake Bay’s water through their gills in one day, Mann and Lockwood calculated.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Facing more back fives and low blocks means Palace have relied on back-post crosses from the half-space more, either by Pino or Guehi.—
Liam Tharme,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Matthew and Christina were both in critical condition following the shooting, their family said in a GoFundMe set up immediately after the attacks.—
Samira Asma-Sadeque,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Long forward passes in transition are common, rather than expansive, intricate attacks.—
Liam Tharme,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Use a mulching mower to chop the leaves into tiny bits that can be left on the lawn to nourish the soil.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Future versions will explore more complex scenarios, such as creative decision-making models involving multiple parties and higher-dimensional structures that can handle multiple qubits (quantum bits).—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Liam Perino curses in front of his parents.—
Matthew Shen Goodman,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spells.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spells. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.
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