charisma
noun
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The Greek word charisma means "favor" or "gift." It comes from the verb charizesthai ("to favor"), which in turn comes from the noun charis, meaning "grace." In English, charisma was originally used in Christian contexts to refer to a gift or power bestowed upon an individual by the Holy Spirit for the good of the Church—a sense that is now very rare. These days, we use the word to refer to social, rather than divine, grace. For instance, a leader with charisma may easily gain popular support, and a job applicant with charisma may shine in an interview.
Examples of charisma in a Sentence
Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 2 Aug. 2025
Brie and Franco strangely have little chemistry onscreen, despite their immense skill and charisma as individual actors.
—Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 31 July 2025
With charisma to spare, he’s widely regarded as the Mayor of Bronx General.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 30 July 2025
Topics include improving meetings (oh hallelujah!), the pitfalls of charisma and how to avoid that trap, navigating bureaucracy, and how to stop chasing perfectionism.
—Toni Fitzgerald, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for charisma
Cite this Entry
“Charisma.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/charisma. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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charisma
noun
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