miracle
B2Formal, literary, religious, and general use.
Definition
Meaning
An extraordinary and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore attributed to a divine agency.
A highly improbable or extraordinary event, development, or accomplishment that brings very welcome consequences.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word retains a strong religious connotation but is widely used in secular contexts to denote any remarkable and beneficial event that defies normal expectations.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling is identical.
Connotations
Slightly more likely to be used in a religious context in the US due to higher rates of religious observance.
Frequency
Comparably frequent in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
It is a miracle (that) + clausemiracle of + noun (e.g., nature, engineering)miracle + noun (e.g., cure, drug, worker)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “miracle worker”
- “against all odds”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to describe an unexpected and dramatic business recovery or success, e.g., 'The company's turnaround was an economic miracle.'
Academic
Used in historical or sociological contexts, e.g., 'the post-war economic miracle', or in religious studies.
Everyday
Used hyperbolically for fortunate outcomes, e.g., 'It's a miracle we found a parking space.'
Technical
Rare in hard sciences; occasionally used in medicine for unexpected recoveries.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The team miraculously avoided relegation on the final day.
American English
- The patient miraculously recovered from the severe injury.
adverb
British English
- Miraculously, all the missing climbers were found safe.
American English
- The car was totalled, but miraculously, no one was hurt.
adjective
British English
- The rescue was a miraculous escape from the flooded valley.
American English
- They experienced a miraculous turnaround in their fortunes.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The baby's birth was a happy miracle for the family.
- It's a miracle that nobody was injured in the accident.
- The doctor said his recovery was a medical miracle, defying all expectations.
- The rapid economic growth of the nation in the 20th century was often termed a miracle.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a MIRROR that shows a CLE (like a college) appearing magically. A MIRROR-CLE is a miraculous sight.
Conceptual Metaphor
A MIRACLE IS A GIFT FROM A HIGHER POWER. / A SURPRISING SUCCESS IS A MIRACLE.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'miracle' for everyday surprises or minor lucky events where Russian might use 'чудо' more lightly. English 'miracle' is stronger.
- Do not confuse with 'magic' (магия). A miracle implies divine or extraordinary cause, not trickery or spells.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'It was a miracle that he passed the exam.' (if he studied hard; overuse weakens the word). Better: 'It was a miracle he survived the crash.'
- Incorrect plural: 'miracles' is correct, but often used in singular form in phrases like 'work miracles'.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the use of 'miracle' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is commonly used secularly to mean an amazing and welcome event that is very unlikely, e.g., 'a miracle of modern engineering'.
A 'miracle' strongly implies an agent (divine or otherwise) causing an extraordinary event against the odds. A 'wonder' is something that causes awe or admiration, not necessarily defying natural law.
No, the standard collocations are 'perform a miracle', 'work a miracle', or 'a miracle happens'. 'Do a miracle' is non-standard.
The adjective is 'miraculous'. Example: 'Her recovery was miraculous.' There is no direct adjectival form 'miracle'; it is used attributively in compounds like 'miracle cure'.
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