mysticism
noun
mys·ti·cism
| \ ˈmi-stə-ˌsi-zəm
\
\
Definition of mysticism
2
: the belief that direct knowledge of God, spiritual truth, or ultimate reality can be attained through subjective experience (such as intuition or insight)
3a
: vague speculation : a belief without sound basis
b
: a theory postulating the possibility of direct and intuitive acquisition of ineffable knowledge or power
Examples of mysticism in a Sentence
Jewish, Christian, and Islamic mysticism.
a student of Eastern mysticism
Recent Examples on the Web
Psychology as a science has its limitations, and, as the logical consequence of theology is mysticism, so the ultimate consequence of psychology is love. — Jennifer Bernstein, Vox, "Even as I question the institution of marriage and all its traditions, I find myself still wanting a ring.," 3 July 2019 Garcia, who as co-writer of Beautiful Creatures knows a thing or two about stories with magic in them, infuses Raven’s mythology with a welcome strain of New Orleans mysticism. — Christian Holub, EW.com, "5 comics to read this July: Reimagining classic concepts," 3 July 2019 The fundamental mysticism of her work may spring from that collision. — Mark Feeney, BostonGlobe.com, "At the Peabody Essex, marvelousness made visible," 18 July 2019 Scripts draw heavily on Yakut folklore, a tradition rich with fantasy, mysticism and otherworldly realms. — The Economist, "The pitfalls of making movies in Siberia," 11 July 2019 At a time when brick-and-mortar stores are broadly in peril from online options, the mysticism business is thriving. — Jessica Roy, latimes.com, "How millennials replaced religion with astrology and crystals," 10 July 2019 Delacroix’s image is classic Orientalism, a prevailing colonial attitude toward the Near and Middle East that steeped the land and people in mystery, mysticism and romanticism. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Lost Version of Delacroix Masterpiece Goes on View After Being Found in Paris Apartment," 21 June 2019 Rebennack, who'd long had a fascination with occult mysticism and voodoo, told Battiste about creating a musical personality out of Dr. John, a male version of Marie Laveau, the voodoo queen. — Author: Kevin Mcgill, Cain Burdeau, Anchorage Daily News, "Dr. John, funky musical ‘night-tripper’ of New Orleans, is dead," 7 June 2019 Rebennack, who’d long had a fascination with occult mysticism and voodoo, told Battiste about creating a musical personality out of Dr. John, a male version of Marie Laveau, the voodoo queen. — Washington Post, "‘Dr. John,’ funky New Orleans ‘night-tripper’ musician, dies," 7 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mysticism.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for mysticism
mysticism
noun
English Language Learners Definition of mysticism
: a religious practice based on the belief that knowledge of spiritual truth can be gained by praying or thinking deeply
See the full definition for mysticism in the English Language Learners Dictionary
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