What does "conjure" mean?
The practice of magic; hoodoo; conjuration.
Conjure
/ˈkʌn.d͡ʒə/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The practice of magic; hoodoo; conjuration.
- Grammar: conjure is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: evoke, adjure, adjure, appeal.
- Useful contrasts: banish, destroy, dispel.
- Usage evidence: When they no longer have priests, the gods become very easy to conjure.
How to use "conjure"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "conjure" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "conjure" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "conjure" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "conjure" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "conjure" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "evoke" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "conjure", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The practice of magic; hoodoo; conjuration. uncountable
Verb
- 1 To perform magic tricks. intransitive
"He started conjuring at the age of 15, and is now a famous stage magician."
- 2 engage in plotting or enter into a conspiracy, swear together wordnet
- 3 To summon (a devil, etc.) using supernatural power. transitive
- 4 ask for or request earnestly wordnet
- 5 To practice black magic. archaic, intransitive
""Thou great Norman lump!" he muttered. "If I conjure till Doomsday, I cannot make thee gold.""
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 summon into action or bring into existence, often as if by magic wordnet
- 7 To enchant or bewitch. archaic, transitive
- 8 To evoke. transitive
- 9 To imagine or picture in the mind. transitive
"There was a deep silence, while Helen's vivid fancy conjured up the scene. She knew the small neat room—she had been with Mrs. Palmer to see it; the cheerful garden filled with flowers, the hum of the distant play-ground, the rosy clusters of an acacia-tree, whose branches almost came in at the window;..."
- 10 To make an urgent request to; to appeal to or beseech. archaic, transitive
"I conjure you, let him know, / Whate'er was done against him, Cato did it."
- 11 To conspire or plot. intransitive, obsolete
"Drew after him the third part of Heaven's sons / Conjured against the Highest."
Example
"When they no longer have priests, the gods become very easy to conjure."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "conjure"?
Common synonyms include: evoke, adjure, adjure, appeal, appeal to, arouse.
How do you use "conjure" in a sentence?
When they no longer have priests, the gods become very easy to conjure.
How do you pronounce "conjure"?
Pronounced /ˈkʌn.d͡ʒə/.
Etymology
From Middle English conjuren, from Old French conjurer, from Latin coniūrō (“I swear together; conspire”), from con- (“with, together”) + iūro (“I swear or take an oath”).