They say that creating change is all about your mindset. But is there a term in English for when we speak something into existence?
Below, we’ve compiled a list of great terms and phrases showing you how to describe this phenomenon. So, keep reading!
Words for When You Speak Something Into Existence
- Self-fulfilling prophecy
- Manifestation
- Incantation
- Pygmalion effect
- Predict
- Foretell
- Bring about
- Summon
- Conjure
- Law of attraction
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- A “self-fulfilling prophecy” refers to when someone predicts something and brings that prediction about due to their unconscious behaviors.
- “Manifestation” refers to the process of believing that good things will happen and seeing this manifest in reality as a result.
- An “incantation” is an often spiritually related verbal formula that is said to have some “magical” effects.
Stick around! In the next section, we’ll discuss our top three teams for when you speak something into existence.
After that, we’ll provide some helpful example sentences illustrating how to use each of our choices in practice.
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a “self-fulfilling prophecy” is “something that you cause to happen by saying and expecting that it will happen.”
Therefore, this is a perfect example of speaking something into existence.
Although this definition implies that simply stating the prophecy is what brings it to fruition, a “self-fulfilling prophecy” is actually a more complex concept.
Robert Merton, who is credited for popularizing this term, calls a “self-fulfilling prophecy” a “false definition of the situation evoking a new behavior which makes the originally false conception come true.”
Therefore, it isn’t speaking about the thing that brings it into existence. Rather, it is the speaker’s biases and subsequent behaviors that bring about their predicted conclusion.
For example, if you constantly say that you will perform poorly in your exam, you might create a psychological feedback loop in your head.
As a result, rather than focusing on your exam, you will be distracted by your thoughts of failure. Therefore, your prediction about failing will come true.
Let’s see how we can use this phrase in a couple of example sentences:
Maddison’s eventual downfall was a self-fulfilling prophecy; she was convinced that she would turn out like her mother, and that belief sent her down the exact same path.
Here’s the catch: if your mentor believes you can’t be trained, they won’t put effort into training you. Thus, their prediction about your capabilities becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Manifestation
“Manifestation” is a great word meaning to speak or think something into existence.
Vocabulary.com defines “manifestation” as “the public display of emotion or feeling, or something theoretical made real.”
This concept originates from the idea of the “Law of Attraction,” which is a philosophy based on the idea that positive thoughts will attract positive results in your life.
In 2006, “manifestation” was flung into the mainstream with a book entitled “The Secret” by Esther and Jerry Hicks. It essentially described how positive thoughts and a belief in your own success will cause that success to be true.
This makes sense, since believing that you will succeed will motivate you and keep you proactive in your pursuits. Believing that you will fail no matter what you do, on the other hand, is unlikely to get you out of bed in the morning!
Have a look at how we’ve used the concept of “manifestation” in a couple of example sentences:
I believe that anything is possible through manifestation, and that’s why I journal all of my goals each day.
I am going to manifest that, by this time next year, I will own my own house.
Incantation
“Incantation” is another good word for speaking something into existence.
However, although most of our synonyms are somewhat spiritual, this one has more mystical and magical connotations than the other words in our list.
Merriam-Webster defines “incantation” as “a use of spells or verbal charms spoken or sung as a part of a ritual of magic” or as “a written or recited formula of words designed to produce a particular effect.”
The word “incantation” stems from the combination of the words “enchantment” and “kan,” meaning “to sing.”
Therefore, this term creates the image of a spiritual ceremony of some kind, during which people chant words in a prayer-like manner to bring about some goal or wish.
Let’s see this term in a few examples:
As she addressed the hall, the energy of the room shifted, as if her words were not a speech but an incantation.
The elders of our community began the incantation, and slowly but surely, the rest of us joined in.