Definition of enigmatic
: of, relating to, or resembling an enigma : mysterious
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enigmatic was our Word of the Day on 10/25/2012. Hear the podcast!
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Examples of enigmatic in a Sentence
- Space seethes with an enormous enigmatic energy, and, each second, trillions of cubic light-years more of it materializes from nothingness. —Bob Berman, Astronomy, November 2007
- You'll recognize them by their enigmatic smile and faraway look as they jog, skate, commute, or wander the aisles of the supermarket. —Consumer Reports, December 2005
- Despite all that has been written—and surmised—about him, Bill Gates remains the enigmatic ringmaster of the digital circus. —J. D. Reed, People, 15 Mar. 1999
the discovery of the abandoned ship in mid ocean remains one of the most enigmatic episodes in seafaring history
the Mona Lisa's enigmatic smile
Recent Examples of enigmatic from the Web
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These quirky personal comics are often enigmatic, reading like parables written in an alien tongue.
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Tulsa Tulsa is as enigmatic as ever, which is fun for casual viewers but the cause of agita and heartburn for the Golden Hurricane’s fan base.
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He and McCullers discussed the plan to combat this enigmatic, extravagant former Astro and escape the inning.
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The 25-year-old British singer is deeply, maddeningly, almost trolling-ly enigmatic.
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As if the Easter Island statues weren’t enigmatic enough, a few of them are wearing hats—6.5-foot-wide, 13-ton cylinders of cindery red volcanic rock called scoria.
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Flanagan cannot quite make Ziggy’s magnetism or sinister influence plausible, but the novel, with its switchbacking recollections and cyclical dialogue, its penetrating scenes of birth and, eventually, death, is enigmatic and mesmerizing.
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Dylan Sprouse, one half of the ever-enigmatic Sprouse twins, called out Jared Leto on Twitter today for allegedly predatory behavior.
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Elegant and enigmatic, the silhouette is the simplest of art forms—but that simplicity belies a rich and varied past.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'enigmatic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Origin of enigmatic Isn't a Mystery
When it comes to things that aren't clearly understandable, you have a wide range of word choices, including dark, enigmatic, cryptic, and equivocal. Of these, dark is the most sinister, implying an imperfect or clouded revelation, often with ominous overtones. Enigmatic (which traces back to Greek ainissesthai, meaning "to speak in riddles") emphasizes a puzzling, mystifying quality, whereas cryptic implies a purposely concealed meaning. Equivocal is the best choice for language that is left open to differing interpretations with the intention of deceiving or evading.
Origin and Etymology of enigmatic
enigmatic Synonyms
Synonyms
ambiguous, arcane, cryptic, dark, deep, elliptical (or elliptic), equivocal, inscrutable, murky, mysterious, mystic, nebulous, obscure, occult, opaque;
Antonyms
accessible, clear, nonambiguous, obvious, plain, unambiguous, unequivocal;
Near Antonyms
comprehensible, fathomable, intelligible, knowable, legible, pellucid, understandable;
Related Words
abstruse, esoteric, recondite;
cloaked, concealed, disguised, masked, shrouded;
cloudy, dim, faint, foggy, fuzzy, hazy, indistinct, indistinguishable, misty, muddy, shaded, shadowlike, shadowy, sphinxlike;
indefinite, inexact, inexplicit, noncommittal, questionable, unclear, uncertain, undefined, undetermined, vague;
impenetrable, incomprehensible, indecipherable, inexplicable;
eerie (also eery), uncanny, weird;
baffling, bewildering, confounding, confusing, mystifying, perplexing, puzzling, unfathomable;
Synonym Discussion of enigmatic
obscure, dark, vague, enigmatic, cryptic, ambiguous, equivocal mean not clearly understandable. obscure implies a hiding or veiling of meaning through some inadequacy of expression or withholding of full knowledge.
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- obscure poems
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- muttered dark hints of revenge
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- a vague sense of obligation
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- enigmatic occult writings
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- cryptic hints of hidden treasure
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- an ambiguous directive
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- moral precepts with equivocal phrasing
ENIGMATIC Defined for English Language Learners
Definition of enigmatic for English Language Learners
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: full of mystery and difficult to understand
Learn More about enigmatic
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See words that rhyme with enigmatic Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for enigmatic Spanish Central: Translation of enigmatic Nglish: Translation of enigmatic for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of enigmatic for Arabic speakers
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