mysterious

adjective

mys·​te·​ri·​ous mi-ˈstir-ē-əs How to pronounce mysterious (audio)
1
a
: of, relating to, or constituting mystery
the mysterious ways of God
b
: exciting wonder, curiosity, or surprise while baffling efforts to comprehend or identify : mystifying
heard a mysterious noise
a mysterious stranger
a mysterious plane crash
a mysterious illness
2
: stirred by or attracted to the inexplicable
… to help a mysterious wizard … ward off the end of the world with blood sacrifices.Robert Houston
mysteriousness noun

Examples of mysterious in a Sentence

the mysterious ways of nature We heard a mysterious noise outside our tent. He died under mysterious circumstances. A mysterious illness has been spreading through the city. There's something mysterious about that old woman. Her behavior was very mysterious.
Recent Examples on the Web Timing contractions, the pressure of a fetus against the pelvis, the mysterious fluids produced during labor and the almost mechanical way hospitals treat their patients are all mined for clever jokes. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2024 That's how Harrington recalls thinking when news of their mysterious deaths first gripped the nation. Wendy Grossman Kantor, Peoplemag, 9 Mar. 2024 Ye’s radicalization, which takes root at a mysterious military base, is interspersed as flashbacks throughout the eight-part season’s early episodes. Alison Herman, Variety, 9 Mar. 2024 The Pentagon established the office and launched the review in response to a fresh surge of interest in alien sightings that was prompted by the 2020 release of mysterious videos taken by naval aviators. Dave Smith, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2024 What begins with clips of one of the boys rendezvousing with a young woman in the green open fields soon devolves into the family being attacked by the mysterious monsters at their farmhouse during nightfall. Jessica Wang, EW.com, 7 Mar. 2024 Much of the 17 hours on the retreat was devoted to the demo, which included enough steel guitar and Dobro to insert a little Western flare into the mysterious sound. Tom Roland, Billboard, 6 Mar. 2024 The banker, shown from as a mysterious figure from a Yacht, will reveal their identity during the season finale later this spring. Christopher Kuhagen, Journal Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2024 The movie also centers on Adam’s blossoming relationship with his mysterious neighbor, Harry (Paul Mescal). Monica Mercuri, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mysterious.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

mystery entry 1 + -ous, probably after Middle French mysterieux

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of mysterious was in 1578

Dictionary Entries Near mysterious

Cite this Entry

“Mysterious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mysterious. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

mysterious

adjective
mys·​te·​ri·​ous mis-ˈtir-ē-əs How to pronounce mysterious (audio)
: containing, suggesting, or presenting a mystery
mysterious noises
also : difficult or impossible to understand
the mysterious ways of nature
mysteriously adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on mysterious

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!