Meaning & use
incantation
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Meanings
nouncountable
Words spoken or chanted in a ritual to cast a spell or call up magical power.
Grammar: Countable: an incantation, several incantations; often used with mutter, chant or recite.
Patterns
- recite an incantation
- an incantation against something
The witch murmured an incantation over the bubbling pot.
In the story, a single incantation could open the sealed door.
Ancient tablets record incantations meant to ward off illness.
nouncountablefigurativehumorous
A phrase or set of words repeated so often that it seems to be treated as if it had magical force.
Grammar: Used figuratively, often with a mocking or critical tone.
Patterns
- the incantation of something
The manager's incantation of 'synergy' did nothing to fix the problem.
He chanted the old campaign slogan like an incantation.
Politicians repeat the same incantation and expect everyone to be convinced.
Word forms
| plural | incantations |
|---|
Common combinations
- chant an incantation
- The villagers chanted an incantation at the festival.
- mutter an incantation
- She muttered an incantation under her breath before the exam.
- magical incantation
- The film showed a magical incantation written on parchment.
- ancient incantation
- An ancient incantation was carved into the stone.
- recite an incantation
- The wizard recited an incantation in a strange language.
Synonyms and how they differ
- spell
- Spell is the everyday word for magical words or their effect, while incantation emphasizes the spoken words themselves.
- charm
- Charm can be a spoken verse or an object, and it often sounds gentler than incantation.
- chant
- Chant describes any rhythmic repeated speech, not necessarily magical.
- mantra
- Mantra is a repeated sacred or personal phrase, usually from a spiritual tradition, rather than a spell.
Word family
- incant verb
- to chant or recite as a spell, rare
- incantatory adjective
- like a spell, with a chanting rhythm
- enchant verb
- to put under a spell or delight
- chant noun
- a repeated rhythmic phrase
Commonly confused: incantation or invocation?
incantation vs invocation
An invocation is a call to a god or spirit for help, while an incantation is a spoken spell meant to produce an effect.
Practice
The magician finished the trick by reciting a short ___ in a low voice.
Choose one answer.
An incantation is a spoken spell. Incarnation, inspection and incentive look similar but mean something else entirely.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “incantation”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.