mysticism

American  

[mis-tuh-siz-uhm] / ˈmɪs təˌsɪz əm /

noun

• mysticisms
  plural

1. the beliefs, ideas, or mode of thought of mystics.

2. a doctrine of an immediate spiritual intuition of truths believed to transcend ordinary understanding, or of a direct, intimate union of the soul with God through contemplation or ecstasy.

3. obscure thought or speculation.

---

mysticism British  

/ ˈmɪstɪˌsɪzəm /

noun

1. belief in or experience of a reality surpassing normal human understanding or experience, esp a reality perceived as essential to the nature of life

2. a system of contemplative prayer and spirituality aimed at achieving direct intuitive experience of the divine

3. obscure or confused belief or thought

---

mysticism Cultural  

1. In religion, the attempt by an individual to achieve a personal union with God or with some other divine being or principle. Mystics generally practice daily meditation.

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• antimysticism
  noun
• nonmysticism
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• mysticisms
  plural

Etymology

Origin of mysticism

First recorded in 1730–40; mystic + -ism

Explanation

Mysticism is a religion or religious belief based on union or communion with a deity, or divine being. Mysticism is what lets you transcend the physical to experience enlightenment — let's just say you'll recognize it when it happens. Mystical, mysterious, and filled with wonder, mysticism is easily associated with crystals, New Age theories, or the occult (the supernatural). The truth is that many faiths, including Hinduism, Judaism, and Christianity, have their own forms of mysticism, placing an emphasis on spiritual connection and union, and the mysteries of religion over dogma or rigid rules. Outside of religion, mysticism is applied to cryptic, obscure, or irrational thought — leaning toward mystery and wonder, rather than logic.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mysticism mysticisms

Cats have at least been associated with women and mysticism since ancient Egypt and the goddess Bast, often portrayed as a women’s body with the head of a feline.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026

Over time her work became more personal, leaning in to Afrocentric mysticism and her distinctive voice, which sidesteps gospel projection in favor of intimate and playful phrasing that recalls Billie Holiday.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

Nor is it trying to emulate the high court drama and mysticism of “House of the Dragon,” also scored by Djawadi.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026

Beta takes a similar approach to expressions of spirituality and mysticism, which there is a fair amount of in this book, given Alice Coltrane’s personal journey into becoming Swamini Turiyasangitananda.

From Salon ● Apr. 14, 2026

But then, much later, another rather curious idea arose, an assault by mysticism and superstition into what had been largely an empirical science.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

Here he soon became disgusted with the mysticisms of the schoolmen.

From The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan by Ellen Gould Harmon White

When the confirmation of a theory that is already received, and which is doubly attractive by its mysticisms, depends, in some measure, on the result, the experiment becomes still less likely to fail.

From Recollections of Europe by James Fenimore Cooper

At all times and in all places, these two mysticisms have given each other the hand.

From Lectures on the true, the beautiful and the good by Victor Cousin

Materialism, democracy, rationalism, anarchy contending against Medievalism of twenty sorts, and strange mysticisms out of the East.

From Towards the Great Peace by Ralph Adams Cram

From these mysticisms and technicalities of Troubadour and all other poetic guilds Browning decisively detaches his poet.

From Robert Browning by C. H. (Charles Harold) Herford