# voodoo

/ˈvuˌdu/ (US) · /vˈuːduː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/voodoo
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. religion

noun · CEFR B2

a religion practiced mainly in Haiti and parts of the southern US that involves spirits and magic.

For teachers: a religion derived from African polytheism and ancestor worship, practiced chiefly in Haiti and Louisiana.

- The museum has an exhibit about the history of voodoo in New Orleans.
- Scholars often distinguish between the commercialized image of voodoo and the actual complex religious practices found in Haitian communities.

### 2. irrational method

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal · Humorous

a way of doing something that seems like magic or does not make sense.

For teachers: a method or belief system characterized by irrationality or mysterious, unexplained efficacy.

- Some people think the stock market is just financial voodoo.
- The senior engineer dismissed the new software patch as 'technical voodoo' because nobody could explain why it actually fixed the bug.

Teaching tip: In this figurative sense, the word is often used to mock something the speaker does not understand or trust.

### 3. to bewitch

verb · CEFR C2 · Informal · Literary

to use magic or a spell to influence someone.

For teachers: to affect or influence through the supposed use of voodoo or supernatural means.

- He joked that his rival had voodooed his car so it wouldn't start.
- The protagonist feared he had been voodooed by the old man he met at the crossroads.

## Examples

- Some people think the new software is just voodoo.
- The investor dismissed the complex trading algorithm as financial voodoo that would eventually fail.
- While the film relies on tired tropes of voodoo for its horror elements, the actual religious practice is a sophisticated blend of ancestral traditions and spiritual devotion.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.