superstition
Irrational luck belief
Superstition is belief in supernatural causation—that certain actions, objects, or circumstances bring good or bad luck independent of any logical connection.
Breaking a mirror invites seven years of misfortune; a rabbit's foot brings protection.
Superstitions persist even among people who know better: I'm not superstitious, but I still knock on wood.
The word carries mild dismissiveness—calling a belief superstition implies it's unfounded.
Favored by chance
- unluckyProne to misfortune
- fortuneWealth or destiny
- misfortuneAdverse circumstance or event
- charmAttractive personal quality
rabbit's foot · four-leaf clover · horseshoe · amulet · talisman · jinx · curse · blessing
Practice of supernatural magic
- sorceryPractice of dark magic
- hexMalevolent incantation
- curseInvoked harm through words
- spellArrange letters correctly
voodoo · juju · mojo · evil eye · black magic · incantation · enchantment · conjuration
Mark conveying information
- portentSign of future calamity
- harbingerOne who foreshadows
- premonitionAdvance sense of future events
- forebodingFearful anticipation of harm
warning · prophecy · augury · presage · foreshadowing · ill-omened · auspicious · inauspicious
Unfounded traditional belief
- legendUnverified traditional tale
- mythTraditional explanatory tale
- folk beliefTraditional unverified cultural notion
- traditionCustom passed through generations
custom · lore · taboo · cultural · ancestral · indigenous · tribal · regional
Lacking sound judgment
- unfoundedWithout factual support
- credulousProne to blind trust
- gullibleEasily deceived
- faithTrust without proof
conviction · blind faith · old wives' tale · misconception · false belief · magical thinking · folk belief · credulity
Superstitious phrase averting jinx
- throw saltScatter seasoning onto something
- blessingPrayer seeking divine favor
- wardProtected person; division
- protectionGuarding against harm
opening umbrella indoors · turning around · spitting · touching wood
Intense anticipatory fear
- paranoiaIrrational persecution fears
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- apprehensionNervous anticipation of trouble
- phobiaPersistent irrational dread
irrational fear · triskaidekaphobia · unease · wariness · foreboding · creeps · heebie-jeebies · spooked
lucky
Favored by chance
- unluckyProne to misfortune
- fortuneWealth or destiny
- misfortuneAdverse circumstance or event
charm · rabbit's foot · four-leaf clover · horseshoe · amulet · talisman · jinx · curse · blessing · crossed fingers
witchcraft
Practice of supernatural magic
spell · voodoo · juju · mojo · evil eye · black magic · incantation · enchantment · conjuration · dark arts
sign
Mark conveying information
- portentSign of future calamity
- harbingerOne who foreshadows
- premonitionAdvance sense of future events
foreboding · warning · prophecy · augury · presage · foreshadowing · ill-omened · auspicious · inauspicious · bad omen
old wives' tale
Unfounded traditional belief
- legendUnverified traditional tale
- mythTraditional explanatory tale
- folk beliefTraditional unverified cultural notion
tradition · custom · lore · taboo · cultural · ancestral · indigenous · tribal · regional · rural
irrational
Lacking sound judgment
faith · conviction · blind faith · old wives' tale · misconception · false belief · magical thinking · folk belief · credulity · unscientific
knock on wood
Superstitious phrase averting jinx
- throw saltScatter seasoning onto something
- blessingPrayer seeking divine favor
- wardProtected person; division
protection · opening umbrella indoors · turning around · spitting · touching wood
dread
Intense anticipatory fear
- paranoiaIrrational persecution fears
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- apprehensionNervous anticipation of trouble
phobia · irrational fear · triskaidekaphobia · unease · wariness · foreboding · creeps · heebie-jeebies · spooked · haunted
- folklorefairy tales, fairytales, folktales, folk tales, folk tale
- folk beliefsfolk beliefs, omens, good luck, bad luck, luck
- Misconceptionsmisconception, myth, fallacy, false belief, mistaken belief
- superstitionshexes, black cats, broken mirror, bad luck, knock on wood
- compulsionsOCD, compulsion, obsession, handwashing, hand washing
- European Folkloremaypole, Morris dancing, folk dancing, folk costume, folk costumes
superstitionscience
Systematic study through observation
reason · rationality · empiricism · logic · scientific method
superstitionfact
Verifiable piece of information
truth · reality · actuality · objective truth · knowledge
superstitionwisdom
Good judgment from experience
knowledge · understanding · enlightenment · discernment · sound judgment
- superstitious beliefFaith in luck or omens
superstitious, superstitions, superstitiously, superstitiousness