spell 1 of 2

noun

Definition of spellnext
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

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2
as in bout
a sudden experiencing of a physical or mental disorder a dizzy spell that caused me to fall

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3
as in while
an indefinite but usually short period of time come rest a spell

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spell

2 of 2

verb

ˈspel How to pronounce spell (audio)
1
as in to possess
to cast a spell on it was as if he had spelled the public into believing his ridiculous claims

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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

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of spell
Noun
Miss Clearman seemed to cast some kind of spell with her pronouncement, ordain the certainty of that future August afternoon. — Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026 The median spell of unemployment lasts about 11 weeks, and the average is more than six months, suggesting rising levels of long periods of joblessness. — Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 2 Oct. 2026
Verb
The Corona Centennial High football team has an interesting blend of players spelling their similar first names differently, leaving coach Matt Logan to be the referee as to which parents got the spelling correct. — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026 Next month's midterm elections could change the balance of power in Congress — and, if Democrats prevail, spell bad news for the arch starting in January. — Rachel Treisman, NPR, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for spell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spell
  1. curse
  2. bout
  3. while
  4. possess
  5. mean
  6. incantation
  7. attack
  8. space
Noun
  • For their version, which follows a young teen boy (Bean Reid’s Sam) who works to find his missing brother in a town haunted by an evil crop curse, the answer was pumpkin guts.
    — Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The money, which added up to many millions in today’s dollars, was a blessing and a curse.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of curse
Noun
  • In the co-main event, Armando Resendiz (17-3) outlasted Australia’s Koen Mazoudier (16-5-1) by unanimous decision in a 10-round super middleweight bout.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
  • An accomplished musician who has released albums as The One AM Radio, Hirway turned to podcasting after a bout of writer’s block, hoping to find a breakthrough in fellow musicians’ creative processes.
    — Lily Moayeri, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of bout
Noun
  • Burton went down holding her face and remained on the floor for a while.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Another person linked to the first Ebola case also tested positive while in quarantine, bringing the total number of infections in Kenya to seven.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of while
Verb
  • In Oregon, a 16-year-old cannot legally purchase a shotgun but may legally possess one if it was transferred or provided by a parent and may lawfully temporarily possess it for hunting, target practice or shooting sports.
    — Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
  • And when addressing the fact that there would be no allocution or explanation from Kohberger, the judge also questioned whether Kohberger even possessed the capacity to say something truthful.
    — Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of possess
Verb
  • For a trailer covering 100,000 miles annually, that could mean approximately USD 1,854 in yearly fuel savings.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026
  • That means studying GRBs may tell us about how these elements originated.
    — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of mean
Noun
  • Fascinatingly, however, the incantations are neither soothing nor conciliatory.
    — Eleanor Johnson, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Rifling through the belongings of her great-aunt Jet (Wiest) for a spell to save Gideon, Kylie finds the Book of Ravens, which cryptically hints at an incantation that might break the Owens’ love curse.
    — Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of incantation
Noun
  • The claim that Ukraine has halted its strikes on energy sites could not be independently verified, but neither Russian officials nor media have reported Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries since the energy truce was announced.
    — HANNA ARHIROVA, Arkansas Online, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Before the current attacks, the airport handled roughly 110,000 passengers a day — similar in scale to Miami International airport.
    — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of attack
Noun
  • Over the past few years, that space has become much more crowded, with brands from On Running to APL to Deckers Brands’ HOKA to New Balance managing to meet consumers’ changing tastes.
    — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • But at this distance the jet’s energy wouldn’t have dissipated much during its voyage through space.
    — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of space

Phrases Containing spell

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speedy
spell
spellbind
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Cite this Entry

“Spell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spell. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about spell

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