karma
Americannoun
-
Hinduism, Buddhism. action, seen as bringing upon oneself inevitable results, good or bad, either in this life or in a reincarnation: in Hinduism one of the means of reaching Brahman.
-
Theosophy. the cosmic principle according to which each person is rewarded or punished in one incarnation according to that person's deeds in the previous incarnation.
-
- Synonyms:
- kismet, lot, predetermination, predestination
-
the good or bad emanations felt to be generated by someone or something.
Lets get out of here. This place has bad karma.
noun
-
Hinduism Buddhism the principle of retributive justice determining a person's state of life and the state of his reincarnations as the effect of his past deeds
-
theosophy the doctrine of inevitable consequence
-
destiny or fate
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of karma
First recorded in 1820–30; from Sanskrit kárman- “act, deed”
Explanation
The Hindu and Buddhist concept karma is what will happen to you in your next life based on what you do in this life. Performing kind acts in this life gives you good karma for your next life. To understand karma, it’s important to understand that in Hinduism and Buddhism, practitioners believe in reincarnation. Reincarnation is the idea that after you die, you are reborn into a new body and a new life. How good or bad that new life is depends on the karma you’ve accumulated in your previous lives. By this line of thinking, performing good acts in this life means that in your next life you might be born the princess of a tropical paradise.
Vocabulary lists containing karma
World Religions
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Ghost
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Steve Jobs's Commencement Address (2005)
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
If you were a supporter who believed in omens and superstitions then the sight of the unbreakable centre-back getting broken was not good for your karma.
From BBC • May 9, 2026
Whether Russell can achieve such karma against the mighty France is a moot point, but if he does then Scotland must have a fighting chance.
From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026
A high-school English teacher near Houston was fired after she wrote on Facebook that she thought karma played a role in Kirk’s death, according to the lawsuit.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 6, 2026
There’s a karma to these places: donate well-loved, gently used items, and never use thrift or resale shops as a trash bin.
From Salon • Aug. 19, 2025
It felt like I was getting backdated karma for being a good person.
From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon
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.
