DUENDE Synonyms: 41 Similar and Opposite Words

duende

noun

dü-ˈen-(ˌ)dā

Definition of duende

as in appeal

the power of irresistible attraction even as a child, she had an unmistakable duende that attracted the attention of passersby

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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 duende That involved the special forces paying due heed to Indigenous cosmology which suggested a malign shapeshifting being known as a duende was conspiring to hide the children from their would-be rescuers. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2025 In some of its most memorable reporting, former host Maria Celeste Arrarás and the team of reporters shared stories of duendes lurking in trees in Central America, brujas voladoras captured on camera by a shaky camcorder, and UFO or alien sightings. — Alex Zaragoza, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2023 Charisma, class, and style all have something to do with duende. — Paul Daugherty, The Enquirer, 3 Sep. 2021 Which means that, for a dancer, duende is not only a mystical inspiration. — Jennifer Homans, The New Yorker, 30 Dec. 2019 Krug is no Orr, because no one can recreate that time, that talent that duende, but the winning rush was of near-No. — BostonGlobe.com, 23 Nov. 2019

Recent Examples of Synonyms for duende

Noun

This week, during the same appeal hearing, prosecutors are mounting a separate argument that her prison sentence of 33 years with no parole isn’t long enough.

— Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
The Powells, who have spent years returning to Sandals resorts, understand that appeal.

— Judith Garrison, AJC.com, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of appeal

Noun

Mengi The longest independent music venue in the city, this spot can house 50-ish people on a packed day, and that’s precisely its charm.

— Erika Owen, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Aug. 2026
Viewers well versed in the ways of romantic fiction won’t be that surprised by how this little pas de quatre works out as Emile dithers and deliberates over each woman’s charms.

— Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of charm

Noun

Stapley’s own fascination with the art of the con began after her mother was conned out of her life savings.

— Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2026
Show creator Quinn Shephard told Netflix’s Tudum that her love for Y2K teen movies and erotic thrillers like Carrie, Jennifer’s Body and Heavenly Creatures, as well as her fascination with the Salem witch trials, inspired her to write The Body.

— Yamillah Hurtado, PEOPLE, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of fascination

Noun

The stakes are high, with victory on the track bringing in prize money and enhancing the team’s attractiveness to sponsors like Petronas and Microsoft.

— Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 21 Aug. 2026
But these concerns do not eliminate bitcoin's attractiveness in a fiscally dominant macroenvironment.

— Dave Birnbaum, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of attractiveness

Noun

Sour cream adds moisture and a slight tang to the cake layer, which helps to balance the sweetness of the brown sugar and peach topping.

— Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 13 Aug. 2026
For fans who missed the combination of tropical sweetness and a sour-candy kick, the creamy drink likely won’t disappoint.

— Erin Clements, PEOPLE, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of sweetness

Noun

Hopefully all of the drifting is turning the wheels in his brain for ideas for the next great theme park attraction.

— Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 18 Aug. 2026
Fifteen years after owners switched off the rides for the last time, an eerie and rusted amusement park happily in decay in Seoul's outskirts has become one of the city's coolest attractions.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of attraction

Noun

Unveiled amid the high-octane glamour and pristine lawns of the Monterey Car Week in California, the Lucid Gravity GT-S is a direct assault on the most lucrative auto segment in North America.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 19 Aug. 2026
The Lakers won five championships during the ’80s and established themselves as the league’s glamour franchise.

— Law Murray, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of glamour

Noun

In the end, Cameroon’s experience won out as Malawi’s debut magic dried up one game too soon.

— Emily Olsen, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Tokarz needed the cube to play both on stage in Los Angeles and on the Strip in Las Vegas, so the sequence was broken into three bits and, with the magic of VFX and editing, seamlessly woven together.

— Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of magic

Browse Nearby Words

duels

duende

duenna

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“Duende.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/duende. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of duende

noun

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