Synonyms

witchcraft

American

[wich-kraft] / ˈwɪtʃˌkræft /

noun

the art or practices of a witch; sorcery or magical influence; magic, especially for evil purposes.

She was arrested on the charge of witchcraft in September of 1665.
Some people believe the disease is caused by witchcraft or a curse.
the modern practice of magic as a spiritual observance, especially as associated with neopaganism or Wicca.

The presence of witchcraft has increased greatly on college campuses in the last ten years.

witchcraft British

/ ˈwɪtʃˌkrɑːft /

noun

the art or power of bringing magical or preternatural power to bear or the act or practice of attempting to do so
the influence of magic or sorcery
fascinating or bewitching influence or charm

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

witchcraft Cultural

Popularly believed to be the practice of black magic. Witches are known today as followers of Wicca, a pagan nature religion with roots in pre-Christian western Europe. Wicca is now undergoing a revival, especially in the United States and Great Britain.

Related Words

See magic.

Discover More

Old misunderstandings and hysterical accusations have led to persecution of “witches,” most famously in the Salem witch trials of 1692.

Etymology

Origin of witchcraft

First recorded before 950; Middle English wicchecraft, Old English wiccecræft; equivalent to witch + craft

Compare meaning

How does witchcraft compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

sorcery vs. witchcraft

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Nearly three-quarters of people in Malawi believe in witchcraft and Natasha is one of them.

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026

Madigan: Well, I can’t say that I’ve read 1,500 books about alchemy and quote-unquote witchcraft and things like that.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2026

She has partied with U.N. peacekeepers in Jerusalem, attended a cat video festival in Canada and admired spells at an Icelandic witchcraft museum.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 8, 2025

In September, two men were sentenced to two years in prison for attempting to use witchcraft to kill President Hichilema.

From BBC • Dec. 2, 2025

The answer lies somewhere between witchcraft and Western medicine.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023