noun
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a hypnotic state induced by the operator's imposition of his will on that of the patient
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an early doctrine concerning this
Other Word Forms
- mesmerist noun
Etymology
Origin of mesmerism
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.
Chapnick discovered Alcott’s other stories as part of his research into spiritualism and mesmerism.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 17, 2024
Barnum, the vogue for mesmerism, theories of the universe, the birth of the Smithsonian Institution and, not least, the careers of the important early American scientists Joseph Henry and Alexander Dallas Bache.
From Washington Post • Jun. 2, 2021
I do think it’s like a kind of mesmerism — it’s a feature of shock.
From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2019
When Dods offered to teach mesmerism to his audiences, he was offering to let them in on a powerful secret.
From New York Times • Aug. 4, 2018
In addition to its medical uses, mesmerism was a popular fad, performed in theaters or at home parties.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
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.
