spell

¹ American  

[spel] / spɛl /

verb (used with object)

spelled, spelt, spelling

1. to name, write, or otherwise give the letters, in order, of (a word, syllable, etc.).

   Did I spell your name right?

2. (of letters) to form (a word, syllable, etc.).

   The letters spelled a rather rude word.

3. to read letter by letter or with difficulty (often followed byout ).

   She painfully spelled out the message.

4. to discern or find, as if by reading or study (often followed byout ).

5. to signify; amount to.

   This delay spells disaster for us.

   Synonyms:

   promise, mean, portend, foretell

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verb (used without object)

spelled, spelt, spelling

1. to name, write, or give the letters of words, syllables, etc..

   He spells poorly.

2. to express words by letters, especially correctly.

verb phrase

1. spell out

   1. to explain something explicitly, so that the meaning is unmistakable.

      Must I spell it out for you?

   2. to write out in full or enumerate the letters of which a word is composed.

      The title “Ph.D.” is seldom spelled out.

2. spell down to outspell others in a spelling match.

spell ² American  

[spel] / spɛl /

noun

1. a word, phrase, or form of words supposed to have magic power; charm; incantation.

   The wizard cast a spell.

2. a state or period of enchantment.

   She was under a spell.

3. any dominating or irresistible influence; fascination.

   the spell of fine music.

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spell ³ American  

[spel] / spɛl /

noun

1. a continuous course or period of work or other activity.

   to take a spell at the wheel.

2. a turn of work so taken.

3. a turn, bout, fit, or period of anything experienced or occurring.

   a spell of coughing.

4. an indefinite interval or space of time.

   Come visit us for a spell.

   Synonyms:

   stretch, bit, while

5. a period of weather of a specified kind.

   a hot spell.

6. Australian. a rest period.

7. Archaic. a person or set of persons taking a turn of work to relieve another.

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verb (used with object)

1. to take the place of for a time; relieve.

   Let me spell you at the wheel.

2. Australian. to declare or give a rest period to.

verb (used without object)

1. Australian. to have or take a rest period.

spell ¹ British  

/ spɛl /

noun

1. a verbal formula considered as having magical force

2. any influence that can control the mind or character; fascination

3. a state induced by or as if by the pronouncing of a spell; trance

   to break the spell

4. held in or as if in a spell

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verb

1. rare (tr) to place under a spell

spell ² British  

/ spɛl /

noun

1. an indeterminate, usually short, period of time

   a spell of cold weather

2. a period or tour of duty after which one person or group relieves another

3. a period or interval of rest

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verb

1. (tr) to take over from (a person) for an interval of time; relieve temporarily

2. to give a field a rest period by letting it lie fallow

spell ³ British  

/ spɛl /

verb

1. to write or name in correct order the letters that comprise the conventionally accepted form of (a word or part of a word)

2. (tr) (of letters) to go to make up the conventionally established form of (a word) when arranged correctly

   d-o-g spells dog

3. (tr) to indicate or signify

   such actions spell disaster for our cause

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spell Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing spell

• cold snap (spell)
• under someone's spell

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Other Word Forms

• spell-like
  adjective
• spellable
  adjective
• spellful
  adjective
• unspellable
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of spell¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English spel(l)en “to mean, signify,” from Old French espeller, espelir, from Germanic; compare Old English spellian “to talk, converse, announce” (derivative of spell “magic charm”); akin to Old High German -spellōn, Old Norse spjall “saying, tale,” Gothic spillōn “to narrate”; see origin at spell ²

Origin of spell²

First recorded before 900; Middle English spel “story, tale, narrative,” Old English; cognate with Old High German spel, Old Norse spjall “saying, tale,” Gothic spill “fable, story”; see spell ¹, gospel

Origin of spell³

First recorded in 1585–95; (verb) alteration of earlier spel(l)e “to stand in place of, relieve, spare,” Middle English spelen, Old English spelian; akin to Old English spelian “to stand in place of, represent”; spala, gespelia “a substitute”; the noun is derivative of the verb

Explanation

A spell is a series of words that has magical powers. If you’re under a spell, then what you do is out of your control — your thoughts and actions are dictated by the spell. Spell can refer to the magic words you say, or it can describe being under the influence of those words. You probably don’t encounter many magic spells in real life, but the word is often used figuratively to describe those times when you feel like a magical power controls your action. Of course, this word can also mean the verb "to spell" which refers to reciting the letters in a word, like the competitive spellers in a spelling bee.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

spell spelled spelling spelt

Now though, Carrick must navigate through a tricky spell of four games in 11 days.

From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026

To break that spell, you might need to remind the victim why he or she should trust you instead.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026

Webb—who contributed to “Bringing Up Baby,” “Out of the Past” and dozens of other pictures—weaves a unique spell, enhanced by hip, swingy Brazilian source music in the scenes set in Rio de Janeiro.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

The numbers spell out the 55.849892N latitude of the stadium.

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

He could not spell out H-E-L-P, when there was no longer any land between the lakeshore and the woods.

From "Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret

Silver had to follow guidelines spelled out in the NBA collective bargaining agreement and could not unilaterally decide whether the Clippers would be punished and how severely.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

The American Treasury secretary, who announced the policy, spelled it out himself.

From Slate ● Aug. 26, 2026

But requiring your grandchildren to pass a financial-literacy class needs to be spelled out clearly, Landivar said.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026

The electric letters glow white against a black wall, their message spelled out with odd capitalizations, in Ms. Emin’s distinctive, sloping script.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

Augustus quickly realized that only “ambiguous or commonplace answers were spelled out.”

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

The crew tried to keep up morale with activities such as spelling bees or lip-syncing competitions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026

Quirky sentences, spelling errors and grammar mistakes used to be clues of overseas scams — but AI now makes the pitches sound conversational, Lee said.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 5, 2026

The reserve for the WNBA’s Indiana Fever comes off the bench for the latter-day contenders, spelling for star Caitlin Clark and averaging a respectable eight points per game.

From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2026

Distributors are asked to provide the metadata for each individual song, which makes it possible for a bad actor to submit music using an existing artist's name, or one with a very similar spelling.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

They walked around the corner to a glossy green door with gold letters spelling out Willis General.

From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn

However, in his victory speech, he spelt out his vision for Hungary as a country "where no-one is stigmatised for thinking differently than the majority, or loving differently than the majority".

From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2026

Although not spelt out precisely during the interview, the implication of Block’s trade rationale is that higher unemployment means economic weakness and this would in turn lead to deteriorating corporate financials.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 1, 2026

Two humiliating friendly results three months later – a goalless draw with Gibraltar and 4-0 thrashing by Slovakia – spelt the end for Page.

From BBC ● Nov. 17, 2025

A truck carrying Hatton's yellow three-wheeler car was at the head of the funeral procession, with the name "Ricky" spelt out in flowers.

From Barron's ● Oct. 10, 2025

“Your last letter was not interesting, but very well spelt, which I care more about,” Emma wrote to Lenny.

From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman

Related Words

• add up to
• augur
• indicate
• intend
• portend
• presage
• signify
• suggest