faith healing

American  

noun

1. healing effected through prayer or religious faith; divine healing.

2. a method employing faith or prayer in the hope of receiving such healing.

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faith healing British  

noun

1. treatment of a sick person through the supposed power of religious faith

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Other Word Forms

• faith healer noun

Etymology

Origin of faith healing

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

In more Pentecostal-style Christianity, it can mean an awakening to the power of the Holy Spirit and the “gifts” that come with that—speaking in tongues, for example, or faith healing.

From Slate • Oct. 1, 2025

Charismatics emphasize practices that used to be fringe in American Christianity, such as "ideas of faith healing or miracles, prophecy, and the occult/demonic forces of opposition," are normalizing as charismatic Christianity surges, he added.

From Salon • May 19, 2025

Charismatics emphasize practices that used to be fringe in American Christianity, such as “ideas of faith healing or miracles, prophecy, and the occult/demonic forces of opposition,” are normalizing as charismatic Christianity surges, he added.

From Salon • May 19, 2025

Past attempts to end faith healing exemptions have indeed been met with pushback.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 22, 2023

McPhillips, who shares Bennett’s belief in the potential of faith healing, remarked that he had once cured an employee’s migraine headaches just by praying for him.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times