Jinxing

The act of bringing bad luck to someone or something, typically by speaking of success or good fortune in a way that tempts fate. jinxing often involves inadvertently causing a negative outcome by mentioning a desirable outcome beforehand. It is based on the belief that acknowledging or boasting about a positive situation may invite misfortune. The perceived power of jinxing stems from a superstitious belief in the interconnectedness of words and events, suggesting a potential for verbal actions to affect the course of reality, especially regarding negative outcomes.

Jinxing meaning with examples

• Before the championship game, the coach, worried about jinxing the team, cautioned them against celebrating prematurely. He reminded them that fate could turn on a dime, and that victory was never assured until the final buzzer. The players took his words to heart and maintained their focus, resulting in a decisive win.
• Sarah felt like she was jinxing her relationship every time she expressed optimism about its long-term future. Her friend told her that sometimes, the expression of one's love is not enough to make the relationship better, and a relationship can be made or broken at any time.
• The sports commentator avoided making any predictions, knowing that mentioning the possibility of a perfect game was a classic way of jinxing a pitcher. Everyone has a good understanding that in sports, there can be any type of outcome. Anything is possible.
• During a stressful meeting, Maria nervously stated, "Well, things seem to be going smoothly." As soon as she spoke, the projector malfunctioned, highlighting how easily she had jinxing the process. After the projector malfunctioned, the meeting went badly.