black magic

noun

: magic that is associated with the devil or with evil spirits : evil magic
He wore a special necklace to protect against black magic.

Examples of black magic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
This one definitely goes to 11: Two teenage rocker dudes – who yearn to add some excitement to their lives – delve into black magic and accidentally conjure a demonic entity known as The Blind One. Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 25 Oct. 2024 Discussing Peters’ return, Schaeffer gave the actor credit for adding both emotional and physical nuance to the character, describing an animal skull totem Bohner carries to ward off black magic that Peters created on set. Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 19 Oct. 2024 There’s an interesting twist in that the big bad — Kate del Castillo as the mother of the man Mike fathered — is a participant in some vague form of black magic and seems to be communing with the netherworld. Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 12 Oct. 2024 This dark aesthetic uses a moody color palette and is characterized by ornate details, vintage inspiration, and a touch of supernatural, black magic references. Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Oct. 2024 For example, an unhappy childhood, perfectionism, a belief in black magic or karma and feelings of loneliness are all strong indicators. Mark Travers, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024 As his reputation grew, LaVey searched for a way to bring black magic to more people. Alex Bhattacharji, Rolling Stone, 4 Aug. 2024 In the late 1950s, LaVey formed a magic circle in San Francisco to explore black magic and the occult (the regulars included friends like Anger, the Danish baroness Carin de Plessen, and fantasy/sci-fi writers such as Fritz Leiber and August Derleth, the first publisher of H. P. Lovecraft). Alex Bhattacharji, Rolling Stone, 4 Aug. 2024 Cabinet of Curiosities The Occult Remedy the Puritans Embraced Why did the Puritans embrace a medical treatment that looked suspiciously like black magic? JSTOR Daily, 27 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of black magic was in 1590

Dictionary Entries Near black magic

Cite this Entry

“Black magic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/black%20magic. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.

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