hoodoo

noun

Definition of hoodoonext
1
as in nonsense
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense some economists have characterized the proposal as economic hoodoo that should be hooted down

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in curse
something that brings bad luck some hoodoo must be at work—I lost both sets of house keys

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoodoo
  1. nonsense
  2. curse
  3. nuts
  4. spell
  5. garbage
  6. jinx
  7. jazz
  8. voodoo
Noun
  • Nonmaterialism was the sort of wishful nonsense preached by those who weren’t in any real danger of going hungry.
    — Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Personally, this idea that the woke nonsense is just an outmoded relic of the past is ridiculous.
    — Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of nonsense
Noun
  • Along with the town’s hard-drinking fisherman Wyck (Root), and the town hall staff of Patricia (O’Flynn), Rosemary (Dickey) and Dale (Hiller), Loftis tries to ignore a centuries-old island curse while attracting tourists to the island.
    — Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 16 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of curse
Noun
  • Eating plenty of nutrient-rich foods like nuts, berries, fish and leafy greens can lower inflammation.
    — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Again, that doesn’t really bother me because super-heavy energy recuperation drives me nuts, but there’s no practical reason the vehicle simply can’t retain that choice.
    — Adam Ismail, The Drive, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of nuts
Noun
  • Michael Carrick is aiming to build on the positive early signs from his interim spell, while the club has made some useful additions.
    — Dean Jones, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • For a spell in the last few years, he became known for cartoonishly long nail extensions, lacquered and bejeweled.
    — Abigail Sylvor Greenberg, Vanity Fair, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of spell
Noun
  • Most conflicts between humans and bears are traced back to human food, garbage, pet food, bird seed, or other things that attract bears.
    — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Occupants of a residence on the 1400 block of 104th Avenue were angry at the auto body shop for parking lots of cars outside, loud noises and excessive garbage.
    — Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of garbage
Noun
  • The ‘seven-year jinx’ — the K-pop industry’s shorthand for the contract expiration point at which groups typically fracture — did not claim TWICE on schedule, but in a way, has just claimed its first member now.
    — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The Samba Nation have an opportunity to break that jinx today.
    — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 5 July 2026
Definition of jinx
Noun
  • At past receptions for the center a student jazz combo provided music for the pack of pollsters, and Krosnick suggested upping the entertainment game with a band of veteran jazz artists.
    — Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Performers, including jazz musician Chuck Redd, canceled a variety of holiday shows.
    — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of jazz
Noun
  • Seabrook’s primary focus was on Vodou aka voodoo rituals, which had long constituted an underground religious practice amongst populations outwardly accepting of Catholicism.
    — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 31 July 2026
  • On Friday and Saturday evenings, the dinner menu features standout dishes like shrimp and grits and the flavorful voodoo pasta, combining shrimp, chicken, and andouille sausage in a spicy, creamy sauce.
    — Korrin Bishop, Southern Living, 18 July 2026
Definition of voodoo
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.

Browse Nearby Words

hoodlums
hoodoo
hoodoos
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Cite this Entry

“Hoodoo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoodoo. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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