abracadabra
Conjurer's signature phrase
Abracadabra is a word spoken by magicians when performing tricks, meant to sound like a mystical incantation: The magician waved his wand and said abracadabra.
By extension, it describes any seemingly magical transformation or solution: There's no abracadabra that will fix the budget overnight.
The word suggests that something complex has been glossed over with theatrical flourish rather than genuine effort.
Arrange letters correctly
- hocus-pocusDeceptive talk or tricks
- prestoVery fast tempo
- shazamExclamation of magical transformation
- voilàExclamation presenting something
alakazam · conjuration · invocation · chant · mantra · hex · curse · bewitchment
Misleading sensory impression
- conjuringPerforming magical illusions
- prestidigitationSkillful hand-based illusions
- sleight-of-handSkillful manual deception
- trickDeliberate deception
wand · magician · illusionist · spellcasting · levitation · vanishing · transformation · misdirection
Very fast tempo
- shazamExclamation of magical transformation
- voilàExclamation presenting something
- ta-daTriumphant revelation exclamation
- poofSound of vanishing
hey presto · surprise · suddenly · transformation · reveal · astonishment · wonder · miracle
Worn protective token
- talismanMagical protective charm
- pendantSuspended jewelry ornament
- fetishIrrational devotion to something
- jujuMagical West African charm
mojo · token · ankh · scarab · protective · ward · lucky · evil eye
Understood by few
- crypticObscure in meaning
- enigmaticPuzzling and obscure
- occultConcealed from view
- esotericAccessible to few
secret · hidden · mystical · otherworldly · supernatural · unknowable · obscure · veiled
spell
Arrange letters correctly
- hocus-pocusDeceptive talk or tricks
- prestoVery fast tempo
- shazamExclamation of magical transformation
voilà · alakazam · conjuration · invocation · chant · mantra · hex · curse · bewitchment · summoning
illusion
Misleading sensory impression
- conjuringPerforming magical illusions
- prestidigitationSkillful hand-based illusions
- sleight-of-handSkillful manual deception
trick · wand · magician · illusionist · spellcasting · levitation · vanishing · transformation · misdirection · reveal
presto
Very fast tempo
- shazamExclamation of magical transformation
- voilàExclamation presenting something
- ta-daTriumphant revelation exclamation
poof · hey presto · surprise · suddenly · transformation · reveal · astonishment · wonder · miracle · flourish
amulet
Worn protective token
- talismanMagical protective charm
- pendantSuspended jewelry ornament
- fetishIrrational devotion to something
juju · mojo · token · ankh · scarab · protective · ward · lucky · evil eye · hamsa
arcane
Understood by few
esoteric · secret · hidden · mystical · otherworldly · supernatural · unknowable · obscure · veiled · inscrutable
- magic wordsalakazam, hocus pocus, presto, open sesame, shazam
- magicwizard, wand, sorcerer, witchcraft, mage
- Arabic loanwordsalgebra, algorithm, alcohol, alchemy, alkali
- catchphrasescatchphrase, why so serious, cowabunga, good grief, yabba dabba doo
- spellsspell, cast, conjure, curse, enchantment
- invocationssummoning, calling, call, calling upon, conjuration
abracadabraplain speech
Unembellished verbal expression
everyday words · technical jargon · silence · scientific terminology · legalese