prestidigitation

noun

ˌpre-stə-ˌdi-jə-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce prestidigitation (audio)
Definition of prestidigitationnext
as in magic
the art or skill of performing tricks or illusions for entertainment Houdini's powers of prestidigitation remain legendary to this very day

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of prestidigitation Chicago, a city with an auspicious past and present of prestidigitation and legerdemain, has never before had a space for magic anything close to The Hand & The Eye. — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2026 Still, getting elected governor as an independent could be Duggan's greatest act of political prestidigitation yet. — M.l. Elrick, Freep.com, 23 July 2025 But what drew Carson to this kind of misdirection and prestidigitation to begin with? — Isaac Butler, The New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2024 In this era of the prestidigitation that is digitation, the sheer, laundry-bag bulk of the contents of these archives is stunning. — Mark Feeney, BostonGlobe.com, 10 May 2023 But the magician must constantly update his tricks as the audience catches on, and new crises reveal the mechanisms behind the prestidigitation. — Justin E. H. Smith, Harper’s Magazine , 25 May 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prestidigitation
magic
Noun
  • The a sweet magic of the South that pours into the cup of style, grandeur, and grace.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Jake having this dark magic, with the veins, brings this whole new level of danger to the whole show.
    — Mya Copeland, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of magic

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prestidigitation
prestidigitator
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Cite this Entry

“Prestidigitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prestidigitation. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on prestidigitation

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about prestidigitation

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