hoodoo

1 of 3

noun (1)

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
: nonsense, hokum
hoodooism
ˈhü-(ˌ)dü-ˌi-zəm How to pronounce hoodoo (audio)
noun

hoodoo

2 of 3

verb

hoodooed; hoodooing; hoodoos

transitive verb

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

hoodooism

3 of 3

noun (2)

hoo·​doo·​ism -ˌizəm How to pronounce hoodooism (audio)
plural -s
: voodooism

Examples of hoodoo in a Sentence

Noun (1) 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
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 She’s being honored for her portrayal of Annie, the hoodoo priestess who is such a grounding force for the 2025 film. — Kemi Alemoru, Glamour, 14 Mar. 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 With thousands of fiery-orange hoodoos—a type of tall, twisted rock spire—there’s something ineffably special about Bryce Canyon National Park. — Bailey Berg, Forbes.com, 15 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for hoodoo

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

perhaps alteration of voodoo

First Known Use

Noun (1)

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

Rhymes for hoodoo

See All Rhymes for hoodoo

Browse Nearby Words

Hood, Mount
hoodoo
hoodooism
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hoodoo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hoodoo. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

hoodoo

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

Noun

perhaps an altered form of voodoo

More from Merriam-Webster on hoodoo

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for hoodoo

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