inscrutable

adjective

in·​scru·​ta·​ble in-ˈskrü-tə-bəl 

: not readily investigated, interpreted, or understood : mysterious

an inscrutable smile

inscrutable motives

inscrutability

in-ˌskrü-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

inscrutableness

in-ˈskrü-tə-bəl-nəs 

noun

inscrutably

in-ˈskrü-tə-blē 

adverb

Did you know?

Scrutinizing the inscrutable may be futile: even close scrutiny can fail to decipher it. Scrutinizing the scrutable, on the other hand, is likely to yield some understanding. All of these scrut- words have the same Latin root: scrutari, meaning “to search or examine.” While scrutiny, scrutinize, and inscrutable all prove themselves useful in everyday discourse, English speakers don’t tend to call much on scrutable, which functions as a synonym of comprehensible.

Synonyms

• arcane
• cryptic
• deep
• enigmatic
• enigmatical
• impenetrable
• mysterious
• mystic
• occult
• uncanny

Examples of inscrutable in a Sentence

Supersymmetry is a magic mirror, and everything in what we imagine to be the real world has its ghostly, inscrutable mirror image. —Ian Stewart, Prospect, September 2003

Of all the myths that have grown up around Alan Greenspan, the most powerful is the idea that he's willfully inscrutable. —James Surowiecki, New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2001

That wily politicians might adopt Franklin's distinction between appearance and reality to become inscrutable confidence men did not seem to trouble him. —John H. Summers, Journal of American History, December 2000

an inscrutable work of art

He was a quiet, inscrutable man.

Recent Examples on the Web

Then there was the inscrutable acronym — IITYWYBAHD? — emblazoned on workers’ shirts. —Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024

An inscrutable and potentially supernatural ultrasound reading will occur. —Amanda Hess, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin inscrutabilis, from Latin in- + scrutari to search — more at scrutiny

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

inscrutable

adjective

in·​scru·​ta·​ble in-ˈskrüt-ə-bəl 

: not easily understood : mysterious

an inscrutable expression

inscrutably

-blē 

adverb