hoodoo

1 of 2

noun

hoo·​doo ˈhü-(ˌ)dü How to pronounce hoodoo (audio)
plural hoodoos
Synonyms of hoodoonext
1
: a body of practices of sympathetic magic traditional especially among African Americans in the southern U.S.
2
: a natural column of rock in western North America often in fantastic form
3
: something that brings bad luck
4
hoodooism noun

hoodoo

2 of 2

verb

hoodooed; hoodooing; hoodoos

transitive verb

: to cast a spell on
broadly : to bring bad luck to

Examples of hoodoo in a Sentence

Noun some economists have characterized the proposal as economic hoodoo that should be hooted down some hoodoo must be at work—I lost both sets of house keys
Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Bryce Canyon National Park Bryce Canyon National Park is known for its otherworldly landscape of vibrant red rock hoodoos—tall spires of rock sculpted by millions of years of erosion. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 5 June 2026 The South Unit's badlands, deep-cut canyons, and sandy hoodoos allow modern explorers to see the allure of a wild North Dakota. Julia Sayers Gokhale, Midwest Living, 1 June 2026 Movie characters making appearances in the maze will include blues musician Sammie Moore, Louisiana Creole hoodoo conjurer Annie, white-passing Black woman Mary, mysterious and magnetic dancer Pearline, club bouncer Cornbread and vampires Remmick, Bert and Joan. Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 21 May 2026 With its sand dunes, lofty peaks and lava hoodoos, daytime at Craters of the Moon can be as fun as the night. Sarah Sekula, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hoodoo

Word History

Etymology

Noun

perhaps alteration of voodoo

First Known Use

Noun

1855, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1858, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hoodoo was in 1855

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hoodoo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hoodoo. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

hoodoo

noun
hoo·​doo
ˈhüd-ü
plural hoodoos
1
2
: something that brings bad luck
hoodoo verb
hoodooism
-ˌiz-əm
noun
Etymology

Noun

perhaps an altered form of voodoo

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