1
as in mysterious
being beyond one's powers to know, understand, or explain
the occult ways in which the human mind works
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ambiguous
having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning
an occult reference in the text that has puzzled scholars ever since
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in magic
having seemingly supernatural qualities or powers
Great Britain's Stonehenge is one of those occult places where people expect something of cosmic significance to happen
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to obscure
to keep secret or shut off from view
occulted their house from prying eyes by planting large trees around it the actor's private life had long been occulted by a contrived public persona
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of occult
Hank Shteamer, SPIN, 24 Jan. 2023
It’s a determinedly non-jokey supernatural thriller in which a group of Adelaide teens get in way over their heads playing an occult party game.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 22 Jan. 2023
Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
April 25: The moon will occult Regulus again at approximately 8:30 P.M. (depending on your location), though this time it will be best viewed from sites east of the Mississippi, where the pair will be higher in the sky.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for occult
Adjective
Speaking of infernal-sounding, pay close attention around the 4:30 mark here, and witness the occult-metal mastery of Mercyful Fate riffsmith Hank Shermann, abetted by his trusty partner Michael Denner.
—Hank Shteamer, SPIN, 24 Jan. 2023
It’s a determinedly non-jokey supernatural thriller in which a group of Adelaide teens get in way over their heads playing an occult party game.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 22 Jan. 2023
Verb
When To See The ‘snow Moon’ Occult Regulus Just a day after the full wolf supermoon, the near-full moon will occult Regulus for about an hour, as seen from the eastern half of North America.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
April 25: The moon will occult Regulus again at approximately 8:30 P.M. (depending on your location), though this time it will be best viewed from sites east of the Mississippi, where the pair will be higher in the sky.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for occult
Recent Examples of Synonyms for occult
Adjective
-
In addition to learning more about the karsts' mysterious ecosystems, the biodiversity study aimed to advocate for their conservation.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Per the official logline, School Spirits is centered around Maddie, a teen girl stuck in the afterlife investigating her own mysterious disappearance.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Language that humans easily understand can be too ambiguous for machines, especially when multiple objects look similar.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Was there any thought of ending there and leaving what happens next ambiguous?—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Later, a fire at Hall’s grandmother’s house would destroy most of his magic act.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
-
And judges are being increasingly specific about what those magic words are, according to Janet Ainsworth, professor emerita at Seattle University law school.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Light pollution can obscure a comet’s glow, so use a light pollution map, or consider dark-sky getaways like the Oregon Outback or Big Bend, to enhance the show.—
Stephanie Vermillion,
Outside,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Frankly, it’s been hard to keep up—and the BlackRock CEO wrote that the drama and uncertainty threatened by day-to-day headlines may be obscuring longer-term trends.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The three-page letter is somewhat cryptic.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The lyrics are often cryptic and clipped, but bear evidence of turbulence and tumult.—
Colin Joyce,
Pitchfork,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The mystic chords that bind us together matter more than any policy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Operating within those parameters, the mystic outlands trend extends to some of the world’s most mesmerizing corners.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Los Angeles, that magical realm of shimmering natural beauty, was befouled by smog — maybe forever.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Claire meets Cherokee healer Adawehi, who dreams of Claire becoming a white raven with magical powers.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
People who dislike Minnelli’s singing maintain that her outer bombast conceals an inner void.—
Matt Weinstock,
New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2026
-
In the time between his fleeing and capture, authorities say he was indicted by a DeKalb County grand jury for allegedly helping conceal the death of Anthony Woodland.—
Dan Raby,
CBS News,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Occult.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occult. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
