1
as in esoteric
difficult for one of ordinary knowledge or intelligence to understand
grammatical rules that seem arcane to generations of students who were never taught grammar in the first place
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cryptic
having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning
the rebate form uses arcane language, the only purpose of which seems to be to disqualify buyers from actually getting a rebate
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in mysterious
being beyond one's powers to know, understand, or explain
my predecessor in this job obviously had his own arcane system for filing things, and so I haven't a clue as to where anything is
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of arcane
On his own album, Granli inhabits each song with an arcane spirit, careful to never derail his fragile mystery.
—
H.d. Angel, Pitchfork, 6 Feb. 2026
Ultimately, Petitioners may, because of the arcane United States immigration system, return to their home country, involuntarily or by self-deportation.
—A.o. Scott, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Due to the Recording Academy’s arcane rules, some artists, including Beyoncé and Cardi B, were never even eligible for a nomination.
—Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 29 Jan. 2026
At the time, the internet was an arcane world that made everyone an alien.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for arcane
H.d. Angel, Pitchfork, 6 Feb. 2026
Ultimately, Petitioners may, because of the arcane United States immigration system, return to their home country, involuntarily or by self-deportation.
—A.o. Scott, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Due to the Recording Academy’s arcane rules, some artists, including Beyoncé and Cardi B, were never even eligible for a nomination.
—Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 29 Jan. 2026
At the time, the internet was an arcane world that made everyone an alien.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for arcane
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arcane
Adjective
-
Sommaiy, a former monk, leads private meditation sessions and treks to remote forest temples where abbots still practice the esoteric art of Sak Yant Buddhist tattoos.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Meanwhile, there’s a war on (Timothée Chalamet versus the esoteric performing arts) and the United States has made yet another military incursion into the Middle East.—
Vulture Editors,
Vulture,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The lyrics are often cryptic and clipped, but bear evidence of turbulence and tumult.—
Colin Joyce,
Pitchfork,
18 Mar. 2026
-
His heroes aren’t athletes or movie stars but anonymous Twitter accounts—anime avatars and pseudonyms with cryptic bios—whose followers track their trades with devotional intensity.—
Clara Molot,
Vanity Fair,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Archaeologists have uncovered a 2,000-year-old temple in Denmark — offering a glimpse into the mysterious, once-powerful society that built it.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
17 Mar. 2026
-
The project imagines a Joseon princess whose songs conjure spontaneous wonderlands, before a moonlit portal transports her to a mysterious palace of history’s greatest artists.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
No matter how firmly the film tries to grab hold of you and offer something profound amidst the absurdity of the situation, any such meaning eventually slips through the dwindling number of fingers that the film, as well as its characters, have left.—
Chase Hutchinson,
IndieWire,
19 Mar. 2026
-
With powerful visual storytelling, the film will interweave the rigorous scientific research and poetry of Lucy’s writing, with personal stories from a diverse range of contributors to offer a radical and profound examination of maternal metamorphosis.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Was there any thought of ending there and leaving what happens next ambiguous?—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
20 Mar. 2026
-
But the broader dynamic is less ambiguous.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
For Hildegard of Bingen, the German mystic, scientist, composer, and philosopher, women’s maternal bodies were not corrupting and degrading, but strong, nurturing, and creative.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Operating within those parameters, the mystic outlands trend extends to some of the world’s most mesmerizing corners.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The office also, in one of its more obscure functions, licenses certain private cemeteries.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Assembled by Feltenstein and fellow animation expert Jerry Beck, the collection showcases classic appearances by Looney Tunes royalty (Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig), but also digs deeper to celebrate more obscure characters like Conrad Cat and Angelo the Mighty Flea.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Carol is understandably freaked out; the robot is straight from the uncanny valley, with Dobbins and the filmmakers delivering a thoroughly unsettling sleight-of-hand.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Taylor works through his feelings in real time and present tense, with a clearheadedness that makes his introspection feel uncanny.—
Molly Mary O’Brien,
Pitchfork,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Arcane.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arcane. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
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