A potent blend of confidence, energy, and effective personal style.
Reach for it when informally describing regained performance energy without pretending success comes from magic
The quartet found its mojo once the players stopped rushing the opening.
| playful | |
|---|---|
| everyday | |
| warm | |
| professional | |
| literary |
playful
Fits when performance has settled into an effective rhythm
Careful Groove depends on flow and can be collective rather than personal.
playful
swagger
Fits when bold visible self-assurance shapes the style
Careful Swagger can be arrogant or performative and may hide weak results.
everyday
Fits when belief in one's ability is the main strength
Careful Confidence may be quiet; mojo also includes energy and distinctive style.
warm
Fits when an elusive special quality makes the result exceptional
Careful Magic is figurative and offers no useful account of what improved.
warm
Fits when a lively distinctive quality has appeared or returned
Careful Spark may be brief and does not include sustained self-belief.
professional
Fits when recent progress makes continued success easier
Careful Momentum is directional progress, not charisma or confidence.
literary
Fits when spirited flair animates the performance
Careful Verve concerns expressive energy and says less about effectiveness.
regain mojo
The chef regained her mojo by cooking one familiar dish for friends.
creative mojo
A week in the print studio restored his creative mojo.
lose mojo
The campaign began to lose mojo when every message sounded the same.
Keep in mind
Mojo originated in African American folk-magic traditions and later broadened in slang; casual use should not erase that history.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Naomi Persephone Amethyst, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated
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