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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spells
Nicole Harris, Parents, 16 Mar. 2026
After loan spells at Besiktas and Union Berlin, Newcastle United signed him as a backup on a free transfer.
—Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
The alteration was discovered in a copy of the Book of the Dead (a tome filled with spells meant to aid the dead in their passage to the afterlife) that is believed to have been commissioned for a royal archive supervisor named Rambose.
—News Desk, Artforum, 9 Mar. 2026
Davis played through foul trouble, too, sitting for spells after collecting four infractions.
—Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2026
She was often frustrated by spending long spells on hold with insurance agents, and was overwhelmed by the complexity of the plans.
—Jenisha Watts, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
But Aubameyang, who made his name with prolific spells at Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal, had the last word as Stade Velodrome erupted in joy and disbelief.
—ABC News, 1 Mar. 2026
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images The strategic trading card game Magic, which was created in 1993, typically features two players going head-to-head using custom decks of collectible cards to cast spells, unleash creatures or use artifacts to defeat their opponent.
—Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 21 Feb. 2026
Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
The character of Biff Dipper, an engineer, will be found in the ride’s preshow, familiarizing guests with the story of the asteroid that spells impending doom.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
While this movement spells good news for the economy and industry, traveling on Houston roadways can be a serious crash risk for the people on the road, including truck drivers.
—Wyles Daniel, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2026
Noah Eagle will fill in on the mic, while Ahmed Fareed spells Maria Taylor as NBC’s studio host.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Over time, the event has grown into the Camp Flog Gnaw Festival (its name spells Golf Wang in reverse), which sold out Dodger Stadium for two consecutive days in 2025.
—Matt Craig, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
That spells good news for HBO, since the network has already renewed A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms for Season 2, which is set to premiere next year.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 22 Jan. 2026
The return of starting cornerbacks Jayden Bellamy and Antione Jackson and starting safeties Demari Henderson and Braeden Marshall spells good things for the secondary.
—Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Jan. 2026
The deal is a significant endorsement of Google’s AI capabilities, and likely spells bad news for competitor OpenAI.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 14 Jan. 2026
Noun
Hilarious Leprechaun Jokes What kind of spells do leprechauns use?
—Nicole Harris, Parents, 16 Mar. 2026
After loan spells at Besiktas and Union Berlin, Newcastle United signed him as a backup on a free transfer.
—Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
The alteration was discovered in a copy of the Book of the Dead (a tome filled with spells meant to aid the dead in their passage to the afterlife) that is believed to have been commissioned for a royal archive supervisor named Rambose.
—News Desk, Artforum, 9 Mar. 2026
Davis played through foul trouble, too, sitting for spells after collecting four infractions.
—Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2026
She was often frustrated by spending long spells on hold with insurance agents, and was overwhelmed by the complexity of the plans.
—Jenisha Watts, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
But Aubameyang, who made his name with prolific spells at Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal, had the last word as Stade Velodrome erupted in joy and disbelief.
—ABC News, 1 Mar. 2026
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images The strategic trading card game Magic, which was created in 1993, typically features two players going head-to-head using custom decks of collectible cards to cast spells, unleash creatures or use artifacts to defeat their opponent.
—Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 21 Feb. 2026
Verb
Like the midwives’ spells Pliny the Elder described, this ritual harnessed the belief that women’s bodies and voices were powerful and transformative.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
The character of Biff Dipper, an engineer, will be found in the ride’s preshow, familiarizing guests with the story of the asteroid that spells impending doom.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
While this movement spells good news for the economy and industry, traveling on Houston roadways can be a serious crash risk for the people on the road, including truck drivers.
—Wyles Daniel, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2026
Noah Eagle will fill in on the mic, while Ahmed Fareed spells Maria Taylor as NBC’s studio host.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Over time, the event has grown into the Camp Flog Gnaw Festival (its name spells Golf Wang in reverse), which sold out Dodger Stadium for two consecutive days in 2025.
—Matt Craig, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
That spells good news for HBO, since the network has already renewed A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms for Season 2, which is set to premiere next year.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 22 Jan. 2026
The return of starting cornerbacks Jayden Bellamy and Antione Jackson and starting safeties Demari Henderson and Braeden Marshall spells good things for the secondary.
—Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Jan. 2026
The deal is a significant endorsement of Google’s AI capabilities, and likely spells bad news for competitor OpenAI.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 14 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spells
Noun
-
Where ancient midwives had summoned divine assistance by uttering incantations, medieval maternity caregivers called upon saintly mothers by reciting rhythmical charms.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Justin, the believer, is instantly alarmed by how these eerie tapes escalate from cute banter to ghostly crying babies and backward incantations.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The policy change comes as Cuba grapples with a collapsing energy grid and bouts of public protest.—
Joe Walsh,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
-
When she was struck with bouts of vertigo and eventually temporary vision loss, the doctor determined the correct diagnosis.—
Kaitlin Sullivan,
NBC news,
15 Mar. 2026
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
-
Minnesota still possesses enough perimeter defensive talent to pester opponents on a nightly basis.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Although the top of the order had come back around, the right-hander only needed one out and possesses one of the best breaking balls in the bullpen.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Its location along the Tropic of Cancer means a wide variety of plant life; guests can adventure through five different ecosystems.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 Mar. 2026
-
For someone building savings later than planned, the Roth’s structure means no future tax bill eating into returns during the years that matter most.—
Allison Palmer,
Kansas City Star,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Pay multiple people from the crafts site Etsy to perform tarot readings, lift any existing curses and otherwise engage in witchcraft.—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Indeed, various curses and slurs could be heard shouted from the audience at London's Royal Festival Hall, even during some segments broadcast to audiences in England and abroad.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Ukraine has launched drone attacks at Russia, although on a smaller scale.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
21 Mar. 2026
-
The move came after a series of Iranian attacks on other troops at British, French and Italian bases in northern Iraq.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Page has traveled extensively across America and focuses on putting bits of that in his food.—
Michael Butler,
Miami Herald,
20 Mar. 2026
-
There were seven dishes stored as clean with bits of food and residue.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spells.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spells. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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