enigmatic

adjective

enig·​mat·​ic ˌe-(ˌ)nig-ˈma-tik 

also ˌē-(ˌ)nig-

variants or less commonly enigmatical

ˌe-(ˌ)nig-ˈma-ti-kəl 

also ˌē-(ˌ)nig-

: of, relating to, or resembling an enigma : mysterious

enigmatically

ˌe-(ˌ)nig-ˈma-ti-k(ə-)lē 

also ˌē-(ˌ)nig-

adverb

Did you know?

The Origin of Enigmatic Isn't a Mystery

The noun enigma can refer to a puzzle, a riddle, a question mark. It’s no mystery then, that the adjective enigmatic describes what is hard to solve or figure out. An enigmatic person, for example, may be someone with a bit of je ne sais quoi. What’s behind a stranger’s enigmatic smile? Your guess is as good as ours. Does the vocabulary in the short story you’re reading render it a tad enigmatic? Better grab a dictionary! Both enigma and enigmatic come from the Greek verb ainissesthai, meaning “to speak in riddles.”

Synonyms of enigmatic

• mysterious
• cryptic
• mystic
• uncanny

Choose the Right Synonym for 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.

obscure poems

dark implies an imperfect or clouded revelation often with ominous or sinister suggestion.

muttered dark hints of revenge

vague implies a lack of clear formulation due to inadequate conception or consideration.

a vague sense of obligation

enigmatic stresses a puzzling, mystifying quality.

enigmatic occult writings

cryptic implies a purposely concealed meaning.

cryptic hints of hidden treasure

ambiguous applies to language capable of more than one interpretation.

an ambiguous directive

equivocal applies to language left open to differing interpretations with the intention of deceiving or evading.

moral precepts with equivocal phrasing

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 on the Web

Artists who aim to be as enigmatic as Allen often refrain from discussing their biographies, since doing so might impose an unwanted reading on the work. —Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 6 May 2026

Her biting and formally audacious narratives examine class, politics and — a speciality — the interiority of women through enigmatic portraits of psychologically complex individuals. —Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026

Ayano Go takes the role of Nomoto – the enigmatic figure whose identity is bound up with the film’s title and who holds the thread that connects both men’s fates. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 4 May 2026

This elliptical, enigmatic sentence, with its palindromic form (not unlike that of the Heart Sutra), signals the main thrust of Pau’s work, which employs structures of looping, repetition, and recursion to explore the space of ambiguity and uncertainty. —Pauline J. Yao, Artforum, 2 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

see enigma

First Known Use

1609, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for enigmatic

• achromatic
• acrobatic
• adriatic
• aliphatic
• antistatic
• aromatic
• astigmatic
• autocratic
• automatic
• bureaucratic
• charismatic
• cholestatic

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