: known or knowable only to a few people : secret
arcane rites
an arcane ritual
Examples of arcane in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Attending physicians routinely quiz trainees on arcane facts instead of engaging in practical problem-solving.
—
Robert Pearl, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
Education, particularly in the humanities, rests on a belief that, alongside the practical things students might retain, some arcane idea mentioned in passing might take root in their mind, blossoming years in the future.
—Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
There are plenty of scapegoats: The Senate’s arcane rules, or members who want to go on recess.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 26 June 2025
Her expertise as the Senate’s interpreter of arcane chamber rules cannot be easily replaced with a party loyalist, and her day-to-day duties are nonpartisan in nature, even if she was appointed in 2012 by then-Democratic Leader Harry Reid.
—Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 28 June 2025
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Robert Pearl, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
Education, particularly in the humanities, rests on a belief that, alongside the practical things students might retain, some arcane idea mentioned in passing might take root in their mind, blossoming years in the future.
—Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
There are plenty of scapegoats: The Senate’s arcane rules, or members who want to go on recess.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 26 June 2025
Her expertise as the Senate’s interpreter of arcane chamber rules cannot be easily replaced with a party loyalist, and her day-to-day duties are nonpartisan in nature, even if she was appointed in 2012 by then-Democratic Leader Harry Reid.
—Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for arcane
Cite this Entry
“Arcane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arcane. Accessed 17 Jul. 2025.
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