1
as in esoteric
difficult for one of ordinary knowledge or intelligence to understand
grammatical rules that seem arcane to generations of students who were never taught grammar in the first place
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Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cryptic
having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning
the rebate form uses arcane language, the only purpose of which seems to be to disqualify buyers from actually getting a rebate
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in mysterious
being beyond one's powers to know, understand, or explain
my predecessor in this job obviously had his own arcane system for filing things, and so I haven't a clue as to where anything is
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of arcane
Meanwhile, data scientists as a species are mostly stuck on arcane technical metrics, with little attention to business metrics.
—
Eric Siegel, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
That includes a team composed of players from all over the globe, playing a sport subject to arcane rules that’s super hard to watch on television.
—Michael Peregrine, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2025
But far from the U.S. having a monopoly on production, now some 96% of rare earth minerals are sourced from China, propelling these arcane materials into center stage in the escalating trade war between the world’s top two economies.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 17 June 2025
Particularly nowadays, as science becomes more open and accessible to everyone, such arcane vocabulary can come across as old-fashioned and elitist.
—Nicholas Green, The Conversation, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for arcane
Eric Siegel, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
That includes a team composed of players from all over the globe, playing a sport subject to arcane rules that’s super hard to watch on television.
—Michael Peregrine, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2025
But far from the U.S. having a monopoly on production, now some 96% of rare earth minerals are sourced from China, propelling these arcane materials into center stage in the escalating trade war between the world’s top two economies.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 17 June 2025
Particularly nowadays, as science becomes more open and accessible to everyone, such arcane vocabulary can come across as old-fashioned and elitist.
—Nicholas Green, The Conversation, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for arcane
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arcane
Adjective
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Of course, Yamagata is a long way to go just to peep some jellyfish, so combine a visit with the misty temples of nearby Dewa Sanzan, three mountains sacred to the ascetics of the esoteric Shugendo religion.—
Jessica Kozuka,
Travel + Leisure,
27 May 2025
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They: • Invest not just in systems, but in states • Optimize not just for growth, but for resonance • Scale not from stress, but from coherence This isn’t esoteric.—
Carrie Anne Yu,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
Adjective
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The cryptic introduction is a subtle nod to the bartenders that the patron is about to order one of four drinks from the Burning Blade secret menu.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
25 June 2025
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The moment helped confirm a romance that had been rumored for several months following several cryptic Instagram posts.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
24 June 2025
Adjective
-
In The Old Guard 2, following on from the climax of the first film, Andy must come to terms with her newfound mortality while preparing to face a mysterious foe (played by Uma Thurman).—
Abid Rahman,
HollywoodReporter,
1 July 2025
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Before long, his life is plagued by a series of mysterious, sinister incidents that threaten to upend his success and bring about a most violent demise.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
1 July 2025
Adjective
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There’s a huge sense of deep and profound peace and renewal.—
Yvonne Villarreal,
Los Angeles Times,
27 June 2025
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The ripple effect in the state economy could be profound, Anthony said.—
Scott Cohn,
CNBC,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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These beers had previously been included within larger, more ambiguous lager categories for the Great American Beer Festival competition, but the Brewers Association says the uniqueness and growing popularity of these styles warrants individual guideline recognition.—
Don Tse,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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Tipping for other services may be more ambiguous and recommended as a dollar amount instead, like $10 per hour or $5 per bag carried or shuttle driven.—
Katie Kelton,
Boston Herald,
22 June 2025
Adjective
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Something of a mystic, just like af Klint, Martin found meaning and structure in artistic practice and spiritual rigor.—
Melissa Febos,
The Atlantic,
9 June 2025
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This book contains the first English translation of the writings of af Klint, a Swedish painter and mystic.—
Melissa Febos,
The Atlantic,
9 June 2025
Adjective
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Their final products include paintings, sketches, audio recordings, sculptures and videos of some of the Louvre’s most iconic artworks, as well as some of its more obscure.—
Eli Wizevich,
Smithsonian Magazine,
27 June 2025
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Answers vary from obvious to obscure, some citing culture or clutch performances, while others cling to cliches that this club is turning into truths.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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In Girls with Long Shadows, the triplets are linked by that uncanny psychological and physical sibling familiarity; if one sister has a headache, the other two’s temples pulse with empathetic pain.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 June 2025
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That the vice president would be more amusing with less hair, a perfectly rounded face, and an uncanny, doll-like stare?—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
25 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Arcane.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arcane. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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