witchcraft
noun
witch·craft
ˈwich-ˌkraft 
1
a
: the use of sorcery or magic
b
: communication with the devil or with a familiar
2
: an irresistible influence or fascination
3
a
: rituals and practices that incorporate belief in magic and that are associated especially with neo-pagan traditions and religions (such as Wicca)
Practitioners of Wicca … use the tools … such as the broom (a purifying symbol), the wand, candles, crystals and the knife …. They refer to their practices as witchcraft …—
Lesley Wright
Lesley Wright
b
or less commonly Witchcraft
: a tradition or religion that involves the practice of witchcraft
Feminist witchcraft sees women's oppression and environmental abuse, which they argue are intimately linked, as firmly rooted in patriarchal religions.—Wendy Griffin
Wendy GriffinWicca, which emerged in the 1940s in England, is the original form of modern Pagan Witchcraft.—Meg Yardley
Meg YardleyExamples of witchcraft in a Sentence
taught all of her daughters witchcraft
Recent Examples on the Web
Thirty-two people faced charges ranging from theft and murder to witchcraft, Claire Kehily, councillor for Maidstone Borough Council, told CNN.
—James Frater, CNN Money, 31 Oct. 2025
Its depictions of dancing devils and witches’ sabbaths are supposed to scare viewers straight, but writer-director Benjamin Christensen is also sympathetic towards the plight of medieval women persecuted for witchcraft.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
Set on Halloween night, the film follows a group of teenagers who are haunted via a mysterious book written over 100 years ago by a young girl who was accused of witchcraft.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Set in Salem, Massachusetts, the third season will dive deeper into the mythology of witchcraft, introduce new ‘spellbound’ families and feature some of the historical happenings of Salem, the infamous town of witch trials and folklore.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2025
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James Frater, CNN Money, 31 Oct. 2025
Its depictions of dancing devils and witches’ sabbaths are supposed to scare viewers straight, but writer-director Benjamin Christensen is also sympathetic towards the plight of medieval women persecuted for witchcraft.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
Set on Halloween night, the film follows a group of teenagers who are haunted via a mysterious book written over 100 years ago by a young girl who was accused of witchcraft.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Set in Salem, Massachusetts, the third season will dive deeper into the mythology of witchcraft, introduce new ‘spellbound’ families and feature some of the historical happenings of Salem, the infamous town of witch trials and folklore.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for witchcraft
Cite this Entry
“Witchcraft.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/witchcraft. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
witchcraft
noun
witch·craft
-ˌkraft
: the use of sorcery or magic
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