Meaning & use
charisma
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Meanings
noununcountableapproving
A special personal quality that makes people feel attracted to someone, trust them and want to follow them.
Grammar: Uncountable: she has charisma; not a charisma, and usually with a small adjective: great charisma.
Patterns
- have charisma
- charisma of someone
The new coach has so much charisma that the players listen to every word.
His charisma filled the room as soon as he walked in.
She was not the smartest candidate, but her charisma won votes.
nouncountablereligionspecialist
In Christian belief, a gift of grace from God that gives a person a special ability or role.
Grammar: Countable and religious; the plural is charismata.
Patterns
- charisma of healing
The theologian wrote about the charisma of prophecy.
The group believed their leader held a charisma for healing.
The church described the gift as a divine charisma.
Word forms
| plural | charismas |
|---|---|
| plural (religious) | charismata |
Common combinations
- natural charisma
- The young singer had natural charisma on stage.
- personal charisma
- The mayor relied on his personal charisma.
- charisma and charm
- The host combined charisma and charm.
- lack charisma
- The manager was capable but lacked charisma.
- exude charisma
- She exuded charisma during the interview.
- charismatic leader
- The country followed a charismatic leader.
Synonyms and how they differ
- charm
- Charm is a pleasant, friendly attraction, while charisma is a stronger pull that makes people want to follow someone.
- magnetism
- Magnetism stresses an almost physical pull toward a person, and it is a little more figurative than charisma.
- presence
- Presence suggests the ability to command attention in a room and does not always imply likeability as charisma does.
- appeal
- Appeal is the general ability to attract liking and can describe things as well as people, whereas charisma is a personal quality.
Opposites
Word family
- charismatic adjective
- having great charm and the power to inspire others
- charismatically adverb
- in a way that attracts and inspires
Commonly confused: charisma or karma?
charisma vs karma
Karma is the idea that actions bring matching results. It is a spiritual idea and is not the same as the attractive power of charisma.
Practice
The politician's charisma helped her win. What does this mean?
Choose one answer.
Charisma is a personal quality that draws people in. Experience, money and clever plans are different advantages.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “charisma”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.