mojo
Americannoun
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mojos,
plural
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mojoes
plural
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an object, as an amulet or charm, that is believed to carry a magic spell.
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the art or practice of casting magic spells; magic.
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Informal.
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a seemingly magical personal charm, power, or influence over other people.
He’s always a hit with the ladies when he gets his mojo working.
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exceptional ability, good luck, success, etc..
It seems like our team has finally gotten its mojo back.
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exceptional energy or power.
Tracking back over the warm Gulf of Mexico, the hurricane regained its mojo and hit the Mississippi coast full force.
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noun
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an amulet, charm, or magic spell
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( as modifier )
ancient mojo spells
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the art of casting magic spells
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uncanny personal power or influence
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of mojo
An Americanism dating back to 1925–30; compare Gullah moco “witchcraft, magic,” probably akin to Fulani moco'o “medicine man”
Explanation
If you have good mojo, you’re popular, persuasive, and successful. It’s not a permanent thing, though. You could lose your mojo. It’s literally a magic charm bag, but these days you can have good mojo without all the baggage. In the U.S., the word mojo is commonly used to mean "magic" or even simply "control" or "power." If a musician makes a great new album after a couple of poorly reviewed releases, a critic could exclaim, "She's got her mojo back!" You could also admire a candidate running for the Senate, praising her political mojo. Originally, mojo referred to specific African American folk beliefs, from the Gullah word moco, "witchcraft." You’re getting some good vocabulary mojo right now.
Vocabulary lists containing mojo
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:
What if Vrabel had lost his sensei mojo when his personal life spilled embarrassingly into public view?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
A 10-yard touchdown catch by fiery sophomore Kuika Moaalii on fourth down was the moment St. John Bosco got its mojo back.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2026
The third act, however, hits hardest when you’ve lived long enough to lose your mojo and doubt yourself.
From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026
Cartoon-sized glove gives Dodgers’ pitcher his mojo back.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 30, 2026
He waves his hand, erasing the rest of the illusion he drew, along with the concealment mojo that kept our neighbors from seeing that our backyard had become a forest.
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
I was standing in the Spurs end that evening in 1987, when Arsenal and Nick Hornby rediscovered their mojos.
From The Guardian ● Feb. 11, 2017
Not-too-sweet, not-too-tart salsas, mojos and adobados based on local fruits are vital flavoring ingredients.
From Time Magazine Archive
The easiest is with mojos and jujus, which control the elements.
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
