Synonyms of elliptical

elliptical

adjective

variants or elliptic

1

as in cryptic

having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning

the poet's elliptical style is such that the reader often senses that an allusion is being made—but to what exactly?

Synonyms & Similar Words

• cryptic
• ambiguous
• enigmatic
• enigmatical
• dark
• mystic
• mysterious
• occult
• esoteric
• opaque
• deep
• inscrutable
• obscure
• nebulous
• fuliginous
• arcane
• murky
• equivocal
• Delphic
• eerie
• indirect
• uncanny
• vague
• shaded
• abstruse
• roundabout
• complex
• faint
• eery
• double-edged
• shadowy
• recondite
• indistinct
• foggy
• misty
• invisible
• cloudy
• puzzling
• fuzzy
• hazy
• noncommittal
• inexact
• incomprehensible
• concealed
• indefinite
• questionable
• indecipherable
• disguised
• obscurant
• undefined
• shrouded
• cloaked
• uncertain
• indistinguishable
• inexplicable
• sphinxlike
• complicated
• muddy
• clouded
• weird
• impenetrable
• masked
• obfuscatory
• dim
• unclear
• bedimmed
• circuitous
• inexplicit
• obtuse
• obscurantic
• undetermined
• confusing
• shadowlike
• perplexing
• unanswerable
• intangible
• unknowable
• beclouded
• baffling
• confounding
• mystifying
• difficult
• impalpable
• obnubilated
• inappreciable
• unfathomable
• bewildering
• befogged

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• plain
• clear
• obvious
• accessible
• unambiguous
• intelligible
• distinct
• unequivocal
• legible
• certain
• comprehensible
• bright
• evident
• understandable
• strong
• pellucid
• direct
• sure
• firm
• nonambiguous
• defined
• explicit
• knowable
• straightforward
• exact
• definite
• determined
• visible
• self-explanatory
• fathomable
• self-evident
• tangible
• appreciable
• unmistakable
• palpable
• blatant
• patent

2

as in oval

having the shape of an egg

the villa's marble pool is surrounded by an elliptic arrangement of ancient Greek statuary

Synonyms & Similar Words

• oval
• ovoidal
• ovoid
• ovate

3

as in concise

marked by the use of few words to convey much information or meaning

his elliptical replies can seem rude to some people, but that's just his way

Synonyms & Similar Words

• concise
• brief
• curt
• blunt
• epigrammatic
• aphoristic
• monosyllabic
• abrupt
• telegraphic
• pithy
• short
• laconic
• compact
• summary
• succinct
• terse
• capsule
• sententious
• crisp
• compendious
• abbreviated
• apothegmatic
• shortened
• thumbnail
• condensed
• brusque
• abridged
• meaty
• curtailed
• brusk
• meaningful
• snippy
• substantial
• snippety
• well-turned
• significant

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• circuitous
• diffuse
• redundant
• repetitious
• prolix
• wordy
• verbose
• rambling
• windy
• tautological
• enlarged
• circumlocutory
• long-winded
• exaggerated
• inflated
• expanded
• pleonastic
• supplemented
• tautologous
• embroidered
• embellished