Jinx - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

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SKIP TO CONTENT jinx /dʒɪŋks/ /dʒiŋks/ IPA guide

Other forms: jinxed; jinxing; jinxes

If your sister gets a flat tire every single time you ride in her car, she may have good reason to accuse you of being a jinx, or a bringer of bad luck.

When your bad luck makes you think there's a jinx on you, you believe that you're cursed. A bad omen — like a black cat — can be called a jinx, or the resulting bad fortune itself might be referred to that way. Jinx is also a verb, meaning "to subject to bad luck." In the 17th century the word was jyng, which also meant a bird called a "wryneck," used in witchcraft.

Definitions of jinx

noun an evil spell synonyms: curse, hex, whammy see moresee less type of: charm, magic spell, magical spell, spell a verbal formula believed to have magical force
noun a person believed to bring bad luck to those around him synonyms: jonah see moresee less type of: unfortunate, unfortunate person a person who suffers misfortune
verb cast a spell over someone or something; put a hex on someone or something synonyms: bewitch, enchant, ensorcel, ensorcell, glamour, hex, witch see moresee less types: voodoo bewitch by or as if by a voodoo spell place under a spell type of: becharm, charm control by magic spells, as by practicing witchcraft
verb foredoom to failure “This project is jinxed!” see moresee less type of: foreordain, predestine, preordain foreordain or determine beforehand

Pronunciation US /dʒɪŋks/ UK /dʒiŋks/ Cite this entry Style: MLA

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Vocabulary lists containing jinx

Friday the 13th

If you suffer from triskaidekaphobia (fear of the number 13), you may want to stop reading now. Different cultures have considered Friday and the number 13 unlucky for thousands of years. Even today, some believe that the combination of the two is an especially jinxed event. The words on this list all relate to superstition, belief, luck, and unexplained phenomena.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban J.K. Rowling

As he begins his third year at Hogwarts, Harry learns that the notorious Sirius Black has escaped from prison — and might be after Harry. Learn these words from the third novel in J.K. Rowling's wildly popular fantasy series.

This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for October 8–October 14, 2022

Stories about Indigenous People's Day, urban coyotes, and a cursed concert hall all contributed words to this list of vocabulary from the week's news.

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