spells 1 of 2

noun

plural of spell
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

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in whiles
an indefinite but usually short period of time come rest a spell

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spells

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of spell
1
as in possesses
to cast a spell on it was as if he had spelled the public into believing his ridiculous claims

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 spells
Noun
Shakeel and Masood got relief when Robinson and Archer finished their spells and took fighting runs from Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson. — ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026 On the Practical Magic 2 press junket, Kidman and Sandra Bullock talked revenge spells with Kidman’s niece, Lucia Hawley. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026 Ipswich have signed midfielders Sasa Lukic from Fulham and Florentino Luis from Burnley this summer, after Jens Cajuste and Dan Neil departed the club following the conclusion of their loan spells. — David Ornstein, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Here is Part One of my interview with Diamanda, who grew up in San Diego, was a long time resident of New York City, has cast spells all over the world, and now again lives in San Diego. — Matt Thompson, SPIN, 21 Aug. 2026 Months of dry weather, a record lack of snow in some areas, hot spells and erratic winds have contributed to wildfires in Utah and other parts of the West. — Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026 In the anime trailer, Qifrey tells Coco that the kind of spells that aren’t forbidden are the ones that bring happiness to all. — Kalai Chik, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 During spells of extreme heat and humidity, zoos should give lions ample shade, deploy cooling pads, and mist them with water, Whitnall said. — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 5 Aug. 2026 In fact, 75% of women in menopause experience hot flashes, which include sweating spells, according to UCLA Health. — Alexandra Frost, USA Today, 2 Aug. 2026
Verb
Our guide to Acadia National Park spells it all out and more—and don’t forget your hiking boots! — Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 4 Aug. 2026 The Sofitel brand, after all, spells amenities, loyalty programs, and an international set. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 July 2026 On others, handwritten spells manifesting joy or health dance across the white surface. — Emily Tarinelli, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026 And a few thousands of a second often spells the difference between profits and losses. — Bernard Condon, Fortune, 18 July 2026 The resumption of the season also spells the beginning of the end for three of the worst umpires in the league. — Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 July 2026 All of this spells the need for clear rules and for lawmakers and law enforcement to catch up with this rapidly changing transportation. — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 5 July 2026 The table below spells them out in grams (g), milligrams (mg), micrograms (mcg), and international units (IU). — Lana Barhum, Verywell Health, 1 July 2026 But were those two spells the best representation of Marsch soccer? — Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 25 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spells
  1. incantations
  2. bouts
  3. whiles
  4. possesses
  5. means
  6. curses
  7. attacks
  8. bits
Noun
  • The Hoodoo tradition presumes a belief in a supernatural or spirit world that can be called upon for assistance, often through charms and incantations.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Halloween Horror Nights fans will encounter demonic forces when Book of the Dead incantations are read aloud inside the newest Evil Dead haunted house coming to Universal Studios Hollywood.
    — Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 21 July 2026
Definition of incantations
Noun
  • MomTok is setting the record straight about its latest bouts of drama, including Taylor Frankie Paul’s Bachelorette controversy, in the upcoming season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.
    — Katie Campione, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Furthermore, the Television guitarist has been in the ICU seven times, including for two bouts of sepsis, plus for complications in his kidneys and liver.
    — Jaeden Pinder, Rolling Stone, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of bouts
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
Definition of whiles
Verb
  • Wolf succumbs to Shura, a demonic force in the game’s mythology that possesses those who give in to bloodlust.
    — Aman Kumar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The observations show the red supergiant has an atmosphere with a temperature of around 3,680 degrees Fahrenheit (2,030 degrees Celsius), but possesses at least two regions even hotter than this.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of possesses
Verb
  • What Hasty built instead compares each coach against the specific opposing talent his players faced, which means a good coach with a bad roster finally looks different from a bad coach with a good one.
    — Rhett Power, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • This means the raccoon is probably a mother using your home as a nesting site.
    — Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of means
Noun
  • In other cases Hoodoo was used to counter the threat of curses, as in the practice of suspending bottles from a tree to trap any malevolent spirits or witches traveling in spirit form.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The cumulative impression of Alice that the book leaves is of someone moving serenely through life, meeting fond blessings and awful curses both with the same calm equanimity.
    — Ian Penman, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of curses
Noun
  • The development comes as the global shipping industry contends with attacks around the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, higher energy prices, and sharply reduced traffic through some of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The move follows months of Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries and logistics hubs that have disrupted fuel supplies and online commerce, deepening economic strain and public frustration as Russia’s war enters its fifth year.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of attacks
Noun
  • The track, which blends smooth R&B vocals with contemporary pop production, came almost a decade after bits of the song first leaked on social media.
    — Caché McClay, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Lechter selected the best bits and organized them into six lessons spread over 10 chapters.
    — Christopher Cox, Vanity Fair, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of bits

Browse Nearby Words

spell out
spells
spells out
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Cite this Entry

“Spells.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spells. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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