witch
gb/wˈɪt͡ʃ/ us/wˈɪt͡ʃ/
B1
English
~ 8300
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
woman with magic powers
A woman in stories or old belief who has magic powers, often seen as bad or scary.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a witch
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "witch" with "wizard" or "witcher." A "witch" is usually female; a "wizard" is usually male, and "witcher" is a specific fantasy term from games and books. Also, do not use "witch" for a real woman unless she calls herself that; it can sound insulting.
Synonyms
sorceress (More formal and literary; usually used only for a female magic user in fantasy or myth.)
Antonyms
ordinary person (Emphasizes someone who does not have any magical powers.)
Collocations
evil witch
|wicked witch
|good witch
|witch costume
|witch on a broomstick
|Halloween witch
Themes
fantasy
|folklore
|religion
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- In the movie, an evil witch turns the prince into a frog.
- The children dressed up as a witch and a vampire for Halloween.
- According to the legend, a witch lived alone in that dark forest.
- The story ends when a good witch breaks the curse.
- He admitted he was terrified of the witch flying past the window on her broomstick.
Learner examples
- The old story is about a witch in the woods.
- She wears a black hat and looks like a witch.
- In the game, you can play as a witch with strong magic.
- The little girl thinks there is a witch under her bed.
- He draws a witch with a long nose and a broom.
Noun
informal
B2
entity
2
unpleasant or spiteful woman
A rude word for a woman who is very unkind or hard to like.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a (real) witch
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "witch" to mean only "strong woman" without understanding it is usually negative or insulting in this sense. Use it carefully and mainly in reported speech or fiction, not to describe people in polite conversation.
Synonyms
hag (Insulting word suggesting an ugly, usually older woman; focuses more on age and looks than behavior.)
Antonyms
sweetheart (Informal, affectionate term for a kind, pleasant person, often a woman.)
Collocations
old witch
|mean witch
|nasty little witch
|that witch at work
|you little witch
Themes
insults
|emotions
|relationships
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The kids think the strict neighbor is a total witch.
- He called his boss a witch after she refused his vacation request.
- I know she sounds like a witch sometimes, but she really does care.
- Stop acting like such a witch to your little brother.
- Everyone at school is scared of that witch in the front office.
Learner examples
- She is such a witch when she is angry.
- My friend says his teacher is a real witch.
- Don’t be a witch to your sister.
- People think the woman at the desk is a witch because she is very rude.
- He called her a witch, and she was very hurt.
Noun
B2
entity
3
practitioner of modern witchcraft
A person who follows a modern religion or spiritual path called witchcraft, and may call themselves a witch.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a practicing witch
Common mistake:
Learners often think a modern "witch" must be evil or like a fairy-tale character. In this meaning, many people use "witch" as a positive or neutral name for their real religion or spirituality. Do not use old stereotypes like big noses and green skin when talking about real people who call themselves witches.
Synonyms
Wiccan (Specifically refers to a follower of Wicca; many Wiccans call themselves witches, but not all witches are Wiccan.)
Antonyms
atheist (Someone who does not believe in any gods; contrasted with a person following a spiritual or religious witchcraft path.)
Collocations
practicing witch
|modern witch
|solitary witch
|coven of witches
|witchcraft and paganism
Themes
religion
|spirituality
|culture
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She identifies as a witch and celebrates the old seasonal festivals.
- Many modern witches share their rituals and altars on social media.
- He joined a local coven of witches who meet every full moon.
- Some witches prefer to practice alone rather than in a group.
- As a witch, she focuses on nature-based spirituality and personal rituals.
Learner examples
- She says she is a modern witch, not a scary witch from stories.
- Many witches today use candles and herbs in their rituals.
- He reads books about how to be a witch in a pagan religion.
- Some witches meet in a group called a coven.
- The witch in this article talks about her daily spiritual practices.
Verb
literary
C2
action
4
to cast a spell on
To use magic to change or control someone or something.
Usage pattern:
to witch [someone/something]
Common mistake:
Learners almost never need this verb and may create incorrect forms like "He witched her to love him" instead of the more natural "He put a spell on her" or "He bewitched her." In modern English, prefer "bewitch" or other phrases.
Synonyms
bewitch (More common in modern English; can mean to put under a spell or to strongly attract or charm someone.)
Antonyms
bless (Refers to calling for good, usually religious, power to protect or help, which contrasts with using magic to harm or control.)
Collocations
witch his enemies
|witch the land
|felt witched by her
Themes
fantasy
|literature
|arts_entertainment
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The sorcerer threatened to witch anyone who entered his tower.
- They believed the neighboring village had witched their crops.
- In the tale, a jealous rival witches the hero’s horse so it refuses to move.
- She felt as if the whole house had been witched and frozen in time.
- The old woman was accused of witching the child with a single look.
Learner examples
- In this story, the woman can witch people and turn them into animals.
- The farmers say someone witched their fields and now nothing grows.
- He is afraid the old man will witch him if he is rude.
- The book says a dark power witched the castle many years ago.
- They think a neighbor witched their cow, so it became sick.
Grammar
Dictionary form
witch
IPA
GB/wˈɪt͡ʃ/
US/wˈɪt͡ʃ/
Syllables & stress
witch (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (witch)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: witch
- Plural: witches
Word family
Forms
witches
noun
Core family
witchcraft
noun B2
Related words
bewitch
verb
witchy
adjective
bewitching
adjective
Advanced or less common
warlock
noun
Expressions
white witch
1/wˈaɪt wˈɪt͡ʃ/
fixed phrase
witch who uses magic for good
A witch who is believed to use magic to help people and not to hurt them.
Examples
- In the story, a white witch protects the village from dark forces.
- She calls herself a white witch and focuses on healing and protection spells.
- As a child, he imagined his grandmother was a white witch with gentle powers.
witch hunt
1/wˈɪt͡ʃ hˈʌnt/
idiom
unfair campaign against people
An unfair attempt to find and punish people, often for their ideas or behavior, when there is little or no real proof they did something wrong.
Examples
- Critics called the investigation a political witch hunt.
- She said the online attacks on her were nothing but a witch hunt.
- The new law has started a witch hunt against journalists who question the government.
witching hour
1/wˈɪt͡ʃɪŋ ˈaʊɚ/
idiom
literary
midnight or spooky late night time
The very late time at night, especially around midnight, when people imagine ghosts or magic things are active, or when things feel quiet and strange.
Examples
- She woke up around the witching hour and couldn’t get back to sleep.
- The horror movie doesn’t really get scary until the witching hour.
- During the witching hour, the streets were empty and the town felt unreal.