The Superstitions You Secretly Believe

Over 7.0K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Superstitions You Secretly Believe
Voting Rules
Widely-held beliefs in supernatural causality - not ones you've made up yourself. No easily disproved old wives' tales.

What superstitions do you secretly believe? This superstitions list includes a lot of pretty common false beliefs that many superstitious people will recognize. Do you stop each day at 11:11 to make a wish? Do you find yourself throwing spilled salt over your shoulder without even stopping to consider why? Then you might be a superstitious person. Vote for the superstitions you secretly believe, vote down any that seem silly, and remember: You can always rerank this list in any order you want!

Common superstitions might not be based in actual fact, but that doesn't matter one bit to some: If we see a ladder, we're not walking under it. We will not, under any circumstances, open an umbrella indoors. And if a black cat crosses our path? We're pretty sure we're doomed. Superstitions, it seems, are strongly based in (often unfounded) fear - and a belief in luck. Is there such a thing as beginner's luck? If you find a four leaf clover, will your luck change?

If you're curious about how some of these superstitions came to be, check out this really interesting list of the 13 origins of the most common superstitions. You should also read and go vote on some of these superstition quotes and sayings.

Ranked by
  • Knocking On Wood
    1
    4,591 votes

    Knocking On Wood

    Knock on wood after a positive statement to avoid "tempting the fates" to do bad
  • Wishing On A Star
    2
    4,137 votes

    Wishing On A Star

    Wish on a star (ideally a shooting star) for the best chance that your wish will come true
  • Four-Leaf Clover
    3
    3,966 votes

    Four-Leaf Clover

    If you accidentally find a four-leaf clover, it will bring you luck
  • Crossing Your Fingers For Luck
    4
    3,303 votes

    Crossing Your Fingers For Luck

    If you cross your fingers when you say something you hope will happen, it will come true
  • Bad News Comes In Threes
    5
    4,125 votes

    Bad News Comes In Threes

    If two unlucky events occur in a short time, a third will happen soon
  • "Bless You"
    6
    3,649 votes

    "Bless You"

    Say "God Bless You" when someone sneezes to stop his soul from escaping / protect him from the bubonic plague