as in mystery
something hard to understand or explain
his motives for starting an argument with the coach were a complete riddle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to drill
to make a hole or series of holes in
several signs along the highway were riddled by buckshot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to penetrate
to spread throughout
the newspaper exposé revealed a gaming commission that is riddled with corruption
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of riddle
Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
This team battles over everything, from sewer ball (the pregame soccer routine) to cornhole to riddles at the dinner table.
—Joe Smith, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
His discussion was riddled with false claims, which sparked outrage from people online, Peete included.
—Essence, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for riddle
Noun
There’s secrets, codes, riddles and all sorts of fun stuff.
—Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
This team battles over everything, from sewer ball (the pregame soccer routine) to cornhole to riddles at the dinner table.
—Joe Smith, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
That was shattered around 2:30 p.m. IST when assailants emerged from the woods and began riddling the picnic spot with gunfire.
—Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
His discussion was riddled with false claims, which sparked outrage from people online, Peete included.
—Essence, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for riddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riddle
Noun
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Streep and Short’s characters got married in the fourth season of the murder mystery show and, in a too-sweet parallel, the two actors are rumored to be dating for real as well.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
5 May 2025
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But the distribution of gold, which is heavier than iron, throughout the universe has posed a mystery to astrophysicists.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
3 May 2025
Verb
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The Bears’ senior drilled a walk-off double to center field in the bottom of the seventh that scored two runs, giving Menlo-Atherton a 4-3 win Wednesday over Burlingame in a Peninsula Athletic League Bay contest.—
Mike Lefkow,
Mercury News,
8 May 2025
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On the Knicks’ next possession, Bridges drilled a 3-pointer from the corner, getting help from the backboard as the ball glanced off the glass.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
6 May 2025
Verb
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Across a two-year period beginning at the end of 2010, China managed to penetrate and dismantle the U.S. intelligence agency’s network of spies in the country in what was revealed in 2018 to have been largely due to the agency botching its clandestine communication system.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
2 May 2025
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Studies in other animals have shown that microplastics can migrate through the body, passing into the bloodstream, penetrating cells and even accumulating in the reproductive system.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
Noun
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Note: Most subscribers have some, but not all, of the puzzles that correspond to the following set of solutions for their local newspaper.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
3 May 2025
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Managing that manually takes a huge amount of time, which is why many are adopting AI tools that integrate with their Gmail or Outlook to help with inbox management. Planning, routing and dispatching truck shipments is another area that is like putting together a giant puzzle piece.—
Toni Pisano,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
Verb
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If one chapter of your mortal span—your wartime experience, or a love affair—has pierced you more sharply than any other, why shouldn’t that chapter go up front?—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
5 May 2025
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Taking the main melody, the nine-time Grammy winner’s piercing voice soars over lush harmonies provided by the other singers, with Eilish adding her own tasteful riffs throughout.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
5 May 2025
Verb
-
Kaunas: Where the Grand Duchy Endures As the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania — one of Europe’s largest and most powerful nations during the Late Middle Ages and early Renaissance — Kaunas is suffused with history.—
Joe Yogerst,
Forbes.com,
22 Apr. 2025
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Pak Bae The music of the indie rock band Japanese Breakfast is suffused with longing.—
Lindsay Totty,
NPR,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The new research resolves a two-decade-long enigma relating to a bright flash that was observed coming from the magnetar SGR 1806-20—which lies some 42,000 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Sagittarius—back in late 2004.—
Ian Randall,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Apr. 2025
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Just like the woman herself, Melania Trump’s wedding dress is a mystery wrapped in an enigma.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The Panthers can punch with anyone, if this series comes to that.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
12 May 2025
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All three have at least one title, too, and the power four has punched three Final Four tickets in the last two state tournaments.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
10 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Riddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riddle. Accessed 16 May. 2025.
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