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
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Recent Examples of spell
Mike Stubbs, Forbes.com, 14 May 2026
Sit for a spell on the gracious front porch or have a meal in the elegant onsite eatery.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 14 May 2026
Juan Claudio Matossian, Vanity Fair, 14 May 2026
And exactly what the Avs needed, especially in the second period when one more slipping through would have spelled doom.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for spell
Noun
These abilities range from simple attack speed buffs through to complex spells such as the Titanic flying into the battlefield and exploding.
—Mike Stubbs, Forbes.com, 14 May 2026
Sit for a spell on the gracious front porch or have a meal in the elegant onsite eatery.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 14 May 2026
Verb
Like Amy Madigan before her, the film’s reception may spell the awards season accolades that she has for so long been denied.
—Juan Claudio Matossian, Vanity Fair, 14 May 2026
And exactly what the Avs needed, especially in the second period when one more slipping through would have spelled doom.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for spell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spell
Noun
-
As words have incantatory power to shift elements of fate, as well as matters of the heart, this project calls forward questions around an alleged family curse from Nagasaki and the writing process as its own counter-spell.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
Press conferences can be a blessing and a curse for football managers.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
This summer the tournament returns to North America, and Guadalajara will add to its considerable football lore when this stadium hosts four more World Cup matches, including a heavyweight bout between Spain and its onetime colony Uruguay.—
Franklin Leonard,
Vanity Fair,
14 May 2026
-
In a Catholic Conference bout, Katie Maheu (four goals, assist) and Maddy Lubov (hat trick, two assists) finished with five points apiece as Ursuline cruised to a 14-4 win over Malden Catholic.—
Tyler McManus,
Boston Herald,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
But, trust me, after a while, all the coolest Neanderthals were smelting.—
Caroline Rose Giuliani,
New Yorker,
19 May 2026
-
Angels owner Arte Moreno’s comments in spring training, suggesting surveys had shown fans were more confirmed with affordability and a safe environment than a winning team, are going to reverberate for a good while, at least as long as the team’s futility continues.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
If bits are mere mortals, occupying space and time, qubits possess omnipresence and telepathy.—
Aldo Svaldi,
Mercury News,
19 May 2026
-
The findings reveal that bats possess the intelligence to actively manipulate the physical properties of their acoustic environment to enhance perception, rather than just forcing the brain to work harder.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
The boutique hotel group was created by Kostis Karatzas, who’s also the founder of The Greek Foundation (a platform celebrating Greek creativity) and the publisher of The Athens Guide, meaning there’s an emphasis on connecting guests with the most exciting happenings in this vibrant city.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
14 May 2026
-
That typically means on the south or west side of your home.—
Donna Vickroy,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
As prospective farmers struggled to clear forests for rice fields in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Malaya, their efforts might have been accompanied by mystical incantations like this invocation against Iblis, the Devil in Islamic tradition.—
H.M.A. Leow,
JSTOR Daily,
24 Apr. 2026
-
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
Noun
-
As the United States has escalated its attacks on Iran, there’s something pleasingly transgressive about bringing Iranian elements into such overtly Western music—so much so that the songs without Yaghmai’s playing seem a little subdued in comparison.—
Molly Mary O’Brien,
Pitchfork,
15 May 2026
-
This one way attack drone is aimed at delivering affordable mass capabilities and is engineered for adaptability, and autonomous operations.—
Aditya Jadhav,
Interesting Engineering,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Their latest study found that by 2029, air pollution from megaconstellation satellite launches — such as Starlink, Amazon Leo or Chinese projects Guowang and Quianfan — will account for more than 40 percent of all pollution generated by the space sector.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
18 May 2026
-
Industry pros said the debacle shows how lenders in the space, such as investment banks and asset managers, now face a fundamental challenge in assessing and verifying their true economic exposure to risks within such complex credit structures.—
Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spell. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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