alchemy

noun

Definition of alchemynext
1
as in occultism
the power to control natural forces through supernatural means … an alchemy that changed metals rarer than gold into elements more baneful than lead.—James Gleick

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2
as in magic
the power to do something impressive in a way that seems mysterious or supernatural They marveled at the digital alchemy that turns lines of computer code into a beautiful user interface.

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of alchemy All of that information creates an alchemy that becomes our instinct as creators. — Luke Burbank, CBS News, 27 Sep. 2026 My slice was an alchemy of crust and rich berry, somewhere in the blue to blackberry spectrum. — David G. Allan, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026 Saturated in velvety blues, reds, and blacks, Zumthor’s surfaces all but vibrate; the subtle variations in the application of the paint and the alchemy of the pigment on the concrete substrate bring the walls maximally to life. — Katy Barkan, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026 His family stared balefully at him, waiting for some alchemy to be performed by his hand, like those trips when he was somehow expected to navigate them through an unknown city. — Emma Cline, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for alchemy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alchemy
  1. occultism
  2. magic
  3. sorcery
  4. witchcraft
  5. wizardry
Noun
  • In one example, some teachers are let into the fictional realm of Agartha, which is a key setting in neo-Nazi occultism where everyone is white and blond.
    — Owen Carry, Wired News, 11 Mar. 2026
  • The transformation of Tarocchi into a divinatory tool began in the late 18th century, driven by the rise of occultism in France.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026
Definition of occultism
Noun
  • For The Times) Grandparents sitting in the football bleachers offer moments of magic at high school football games.
    — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
  • But their luck evaporated in the desert, where the Diamondbacks discovered some magic of their own.
    — Don Riddell, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of magic
Noun
  • The two of them crafted a business plan for a bookstore, one that wouldn’t look out of place in a sword and sorcery fantasy novel, with a hidden speakeasy.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Now, the sorcery of the dance floor is that this is never happening to only one dancer.
    — Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of sorcery
Noun
  • The greedy Colonel Pyncheon accused a man named Matthew Maule of witchcraft, in order to steal his property.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The series explores the unsettling collision of ancient witchcraft beliefs and modern digital dating culture.
    — Samantha Bergeson, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of witchcraft
Noun
  • The specs are nearly identical year over year, which means the company is relying on its mathematical wizardry rather than advances in sensors and optics to derive results from its cameras.
    — Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026
  • By some architectural wizardry of concrete and glass the pictures inside stand to attention, as if they, too, are suspended in time and space—a collection that faces in one direction, in orderly fashion, like the Terracotta Army.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 July 2026
Definition of wizardry

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alchemy
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Cite this Entry

“Alchemy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alchemy. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on alchemy

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about alchemy

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