mojo
Americannoun
plural
mojos, mojoes-
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
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.
But then by 2000, London had found its mojo and had become a global hub again.
From BBC • May 17, 2026
None of that might matter once tech gets its mojo back.
From Barron's • May 15, 2026
None of this means that Tesla might not be able to recapture its mojo in the EV market.
From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026
Smart started the extra period by hitting a three, then kept the Lakers’ mojo going with a flying save of a rebound that became a Rui Hachimura layup.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 25, 2026
Mrs. Barbara gives me a Miss Peachy’s bag and claims she has a good feeling that it may be a gold-raining mojo.
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
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.
