as in esoteric
difficult for one of ordinary knowledge or intelligence to understand
you're not the only one who finds Einstein's theory of relativity abstruse
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Recent Examples of abstruse
But the turn feels less absurd than abstruse, sudden even, given the film’s prior resistance to laugh at itself.
—
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 2025
Kamala Harris’ penchant for strings of abstruse verbiage — popularly known as word salads — was one of several reasons her presidential campaign failed last year.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2025
Also, his estimate arose from abstruse economic formulas and lots of magic asterisks.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2025
Into Breaking Its Own Rules To emphasize the importance of math, Winkler displayed a handful of abstruse equations.
—Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for abstruse
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 2025
Kamala Harris’ penchant for strings of abstruse verbiage — popularly known as word salads — was one of several reasons her presidential campaign failed last year.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2025
Also, his estimate arose from abstruse economic formulas and lots of magic asterisks.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2025
Into Breaking Its Own Rules To emphasize the importance of math, Winkler displayed a handful of abstruse equations.
—Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for abstruse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abstruse
Adjective
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Since at least 1998’s Music Has the Right to Children, brothers Marcus Eoin and Michael Sandison have notoriously laced their music with esoteric details that send devoted fans spiraling down rabbit holes, and perhaps no symbol holds a more privileged position in their lore than the hexagon.—
Philip Sherburne,
Pitchfork,
29 May 2026
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Naturally, with different blends and sometimes esoteric components, there’s quite a bit of variance from one Little Book to the next.—
David Thomas Tao,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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In a profound culmination of decades of grassroots advocacy, in 2023 the Blackfeet Nation released a herd of 48 buffalo near Chief Mountain, the first to roam freely on Blackfoot territory in over 150 years.—
The Conversation,
The Conversation,
4 June 2026
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Sam Cunningham—Great fullback who had a profound effect on college football.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abstruse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abstruse. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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