as in witch
someone who is believed in some cultures to be able to use magic to cure people who are sick, to control future events, etc.
went to the shaman for a remedy
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Recent Examples of shaman
The agency also arranged spiritual support from an allied shaman, allowing the women to feel safe bringing new life into the world after decades of fear and loss.
—
ABC News, 27 Feb. 2026
The book details the life and otherworldly visions of Black Elk, the Oglala Lakota healer and shaman who bore witness to the horrors of white settler colonialism firsthand, including at the battles of Little Big Horn (1876) and Wounded Knee (1890).
—Shannon Taggart, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2026
The spa In addition to classic spa services like facials and massages, the Post Ranch spa offers more esoteric experiences including shaman sessions (for both individuals and couples), a power animal drum journey, astrology, energy balancing, and forest meditation.
—Lauren Sloss, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
Keith Richards — who has looked good (relatively speaking) in his recent online posts, and perhaps graduated from collective death watch to eternal shaman — received a mere four votes, three fewer votes than Billy Joel and Phil Collins.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shaman
ABC News, 27 Feb. 2026
The book details the life and otherworldly visions of Black Elk, the Oglala Lakota healer and shaman who bore witness to the horrors of white settler colonialism firsthand, including at the battles of Little Big Horn (1876) and Wounded Knee (1890).
—Shannon Taggart, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2026
The spa In addition to classic spa services like facials and massages, the Post Ranch spa offers more esoteric experiences including shaman sessions (for both individuals and couples), a power animal drum journey, astrology, energy balancing, and forest meditation.
—Lauren Sloss, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
Keith Richards — who has looked good (relatively speaking) in his recent online posts, and perhaps graduated from collective death watch to eternal shaman — received a mere four votes, three fewer votes than Billy Joel and Phil Collins.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shaman
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shaman
Noun
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Shrub choices might include caryopteris and the native fall-blooming witch-hazel.—
Beth Botts,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2026
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More recently, the Australian trio launched a website for a fake company called Takumi, whose mascot is a purple cartoon cat that wears a witch hat and flies on a broomstick.—
Walden Green,
Pitchfork,
14 May 2026
Noun
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Magic starred Hopkins as Corky, a magician who reaches fame alongside his ventriloquist’s dummy, the obnoxious and wisecracking Fats.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
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Hollywood artists like Lubitsch and Wilder were magicians who knew how to lure in an audience.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
12 May 2026
Noun
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The brick-and-mortar Harbaugh gets to face off against scheme wizard Sean McVay.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
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Since co-founding Vampire Weekend 20 years ago and producing the band’s first three albums, Rostam Batmanglij has enjoyed a unique profile as a pop songwriter and studio wizard, especially for a guy whose sound never really left his old band’s highbrow sensibilities behind.—
Jon Dolan,
Rolling Stone,
14 May 2026
Noun
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The movie is adapted from the French novel of the same name (Le mage du Kremlin, in French) by author Giuliano de Empoli and casts Paul Dano as a fictional character named Vadim Baranov, who assists Putin in his rise to the center of Russia's government.—
Tommy McArdle,
PEOPLE,
13 Apr. 2026
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Interspersed throughout the main storyline, sequences depict how Trent Ikithon (Mark Strong) recruited the promising fire mage to join his magic academy, submit to painful experimentations to enhance his power, and eventually groomed him to become a Volstrucker assassin to hunt down dissidents.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 Dec. 2025
Noun
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In the first Mortal Kombat film, Outworld sorcerer Shang Tsung (Chin Han) seeks to eliminate Earth's champions ahead of the ultimate tournament between realms.—
Nigel Smith,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
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Indeed, the sequel to the fan-favorite 1998 film, in which Bullock and Kidman play sister sorcerers, will hit theaters this September.—
Joyce Chen,
Architectural Digest,
2 May 2026
Noun
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Set in New Orleans, Coven Academy follows three teenage witches and their dangerously charming warlock peers at an elite magic school where power is currency, secrets are lethal, and attraction is a liability.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
18 Feb. 2026
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His warlock power is immense and intense.—
Lisa Stardust,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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And nor are any of the spooky figures, which range from 1950s housewives to toothless hags.—
The Week,
TheWeek,
7 May 2026
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Ah, the famous and epic love between an up-and-coming designer and his hag.—
Emma Specter,
Vogue,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shaman.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shaman. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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