hoodoo
Americannoun
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Hoodoo. African American folk magic practiced predominantly in the southeastern United States through rituals of protection, herbal medicine, charming of objects, and ancestor veneration.
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(in popular culture) bad luck, or a person or thing that brings bad luck.
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Geology. a pillar of rock, usually of fantastic shape, left by erosion.
verb (used with object)
noun
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a variant of voodoo
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informal a person or thing that brings bad luck
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informal bad luck
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(in the western US and Canada) a strangely shaped column of rock
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of hoodoo
An Americanism dating back to 1870–75; apparently a variant of Voodoo
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.
See Examples For:
James Slipper scored a try in his 200th Super Rugby match as the ACT Brumbies broke a 26-year hoodoo on Sunday with a 50-24 hammering of the Canterbury Crusaders.
From Barron's ● Feb. 22, 2026
Mosaku: I spoke to hoodoo priestesses and that was really my main research, was kind of the faith, because that is who she is.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 18, 2025
Steve Harmison, a former Ashes-winning fast bowler for England, believes Root is on course to end his hoodoo.
From Barron's ● Nov. 16, 2025
Needless to say, the Scots will need to raise their level to have any hope of ending that 27-year hoodoo, so how does Clarke rouse his team for a seismic camp?
From BBC ● Nov. 12, 2025
So feel I. Living in the Congo shakes open the prison house of my disposition and lets all the wicked hoodoo Adahs run forth.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
Townsend has won some big games and has ended some hoodoos.
From BBC ● Nov. 20, 2025
Hikes into the mountains bring you winter views of the hoodoos, a distinct landmark of the Columbia Valley.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 23, 2024
They sat in the passenger seat as we descended the scenic drive, and at each lookout point I ducked out of the car to take photos so they could see the hoodoos we were passing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 28, 2023
The park, known for its crimson-hued hoodoos in southern Utah, will host its annual astronomy festival from Wednesday to Saturday, featuring day and evening events.
From New York Times ● Jun. 14, 2023
Now to break the old hoodoos about cake-baking!
From Mrs. Wilson's Cook Book Numerous New Recipes Based on Present Economic Conditions by Wilson, Mary A.
“He got hoodooed by this guy. He’s worth $16 billion. He’s obviously hoodooed a few people here and there. He took our governor for a ride,” Harpootlian said.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 14, 2022
His explanation: he was being hoodooed by a radio announcer.
From Time Magazine Archive
He was satisfied now that from the moment he transferred the strap-hanger's bill-book to his own pocket he had been hoodooed.
From A Reversible Santa Claus by Nicholson, Meredith
Still I would not forget that the pale-faced missionary and the hoodooed aborigine are both God's creatures, though small indeed their own conceptions of Infinite Love.
From American Indian stories by Zitkala-Sa
"Well, sir, they do say as how she is hoodooed."
From Frank Merriwell's Cruise by Standish, Burt L.
"I won't be any longer than I can help, and don't you go to hoodooing me, now, while I'm upstairs."
From Jewel by Burnham, Clara Louise
Do you realize what a start like this—three twos—would mean to a professional like Frank or even an amateur that hadn't offended every busy little fate and fury in the whole hoodooing business?
From Murder in Any Degree by Johnson, Owen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
