superstitiousness
Belief in omens
The quality of being superstitious—prone to beliefs in omens, luck, or supernatural causation.
Superstitiousness ranges from harmless quirks like avoiding black cats to anxiety-driven rituals: His superstitiousness about the number thirteen bordered on obsessive.
The word often carries a note of dismissal, implying irrational thinking.
Uncritical acceptance of claims
- irrationalityAbsence of logic
- gullibilityEase of being deceived
- magical thinkingBelieving thoughts affect unrelated events
- old wives' talesTraditional unfounded beliefs
folklore · blind faith · credence · naivety · conviction · traditionalism · dogma · folk belief
Worn protective token
- talismanMagical protective charm
- charmAttractive personal quality
- incantationSpoken magical formula
- spellArrange letters correctly
hex · curse · ward · ritual · taboo · totem · fetish · voodoo
Unfavorable chance events
- good luckFavorable chance or fortune
- jinxCurse bringing misfortune
- curseInvoked harm through words
- portentSign of future calamity
harbinger · sign · premonition · ill-fated · crossed fingers · broken mirror · black cat · ladders
Divination by celestial positions
- horoscopeZodiac-based fortune telling
- tarotDivination card set
- palm readingDivination via hand lines
- divinationForetelling through mystical means
fortune telling · zodiac · numerology · crystal ball · tea leaves · runes · fate · destiny
Intense anticipatory fear
- apprehensionNervous anticipation of trouble
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- trepidationFearful uncertainty
- uneaseMild persistent worry
worry · foreboding · misgiving · paranoia · nervousness · wariness · fearfulness · timidity
Spirits of the deceased
- hauntingsSupernatural lingering presences
- spiritsLiquor or apparitions
- apparitionVisible supernatural manifestation
- specterGhostly threatening presence
phantom · poltergeist · possession · afterlife · séance · medium · channeling · exorcism
credulity
Uncritical acceptance of claims
- irrationalityAbsence of logic
- gullibilityEase of being deceived
- magical thinkingBelieving thoughts affect unrelated events
old wives' tales · folklore · blind faith · credence · naivety · conviction · traditionalism · dogma · folk belief · credulous
amulet
Worn protective token
- talismanMagical protective charm
- charmAttractive personal quality
- incantationSpoken magical formula
spell · hex · curse · ward · ritual · taboo · totem · fetish · voodoo · conjuration
bad luck
Unfavorable chance events
portent · harbinger · sign · premonition · ill-fated · crossed fingers · broken mirror · black cat · ladders · horseshoe
astrology
Divination by celestial positions
- horoscopeZodiac-based fortune telling
- tarotDivination card set
- palm readingDivination via hand lines
divination · fortune telling · zodiac · numerology · crystal ball · tea leaves · runes · fate · destiny · cosmic
dread
Intense anticipatory fear
- apprehensionNervous anticipation of trouble
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- trepidationFearful uncertainty
unease · worry · foreboding · misgiving · paranoia · nervousness · wariness · fearfulness · timidity · jitters
ghosts
Spirits of the deceased
- hauntingsSupernatural lingering presences
- spiritsLiquor or apparitions
- apparitionVisible supernatural manifestation
specter · phantom · poltergeist · possession · afterlife · séance · medium · channeling · exorcism · supernatural
superstitiousnessskepticism
Disposition toward doubt
rationalism · rationality · empiricism · critical thinking · freethinking
superstitiousnesslevel-headedness
Balanced, rational temperament
groundedness · pragmatism · hardheadedness · matter-of-factness · coolheadedness