In East and West alike there are oracular wells inhabited by spirits gifted with powers of divination.
Source: tatoeba (11559303)
Divination
/ˌdɪvɪˈneɪʃən/
Synonyms for "divination" (86 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (18)
Noun(6 words)
alchemyastrodiagnosisastrologyastromancyaugurybewitcherycharmclairvoyancecrystal ballcrystal gazingdiviningenchantment
Strong matches (25)
Related words (43)
palm-readingpalmistrypythonismruneshamanismsorcerysortes biblicaesortes homericaesortes praenestinaesortes vergilianaesortilegespatulamancyspellspellbindingspellcastingspodomancystichomancysycomancysympathetic magicthaumaturgia
Noun(5 words)
Verb(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: prophecy, academic study, alchemy, astrodiagnosis, astrology.
- Sentence evidence is available for divination, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "divination".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "divination"
Keep "divination" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "divination" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "divination", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "divination" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
17 entriesacademic disciplineconjecturedivinatory artsforecastingforetellingguesshypothesisoccult practiceparanormal beliefpredictionprognosticationprophecyspeculationsuppositionsurmisalsurmise
Showing 16 of 17 words.
More specific
6 entriesCollocations
6 entriesdivination methodsdivination practicesdivination ritualsdivination techniquesfolk divinationreligious divination
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
2 entriesSample sentences
3 total sentences available.
Augury is divination based on the behavior of birds.
Source: tatoeba (11592852)
But Cicero does not seem even to have had a religious sentiment to cover the nakedness of his political opportunism. Not only does he in the Tusculan Disputations put aside in the Platonic fashion all the Homeric tales which anthropomorphize and discredit the gods; but in his treatise On Divination he shows an absolute disbelief in all the recognized practices, including the augury which he himself officially practised; and his sole excuse is that they are to be retained “on account of popular opinion and of their great public utility.”
Source: tatoeba (12115362)
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "divination"?
Closest matches include prophecy, academic study, alchemy, astrodiagnosis, astrology.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "divination"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.