variants
or elliptic
1
as in cryptic
having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning
the poet's elliptical style is such that the reader often senses that an allusion is being made—but to what exactly?
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in concise
marked by the use of few words to convey much information or meaning
his elliptical replies can seem rude to some people, but that's just his way
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of elliptical
The moon's orbit is elliptical, or egg-shaped, rather than a perfect circle around the Earth.
—
Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 5 Oct. 2025
In their new poetry collections, Peter Balakian’s elliptical notations let his images speak for themselves while Angie Estes’s concentration reveals a rapturous virtuosity.
—Ange Mlinko, The New York Review of Books, 2 Oct. 2025
The last three full moons of 2025, coming in early October, November and December, will be supermoons — appearing at closest point to Earth in the body's elliptical orbit, or perigee, according to NASA.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Options for tracking include basics like walking, running, and biking, as well as a number of different sports such as basketball, pickleball, and soccer, and other activities like elliptical workouts, high-intensity interval training, pilates, and yoga.
—PC Magazine, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elliptical
Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 5 Oct. 2025
In their new poetry collections, Peter Balakian’s elliptical notations let his images speak for themselves while Angie Estes’s concentration reveals a rapturous virtuosity.
—Ange Mlinko, The New York Review of Books, 2 Oct. 2025
The last three full moons of 2025, coming in early October, November and December, will be supermoons — appearing at closest point to Earth in the body's elliptical orbit, or perigee, according to NASA.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Options for tracking include basics like walking, running, and biking, as well as a number of different sports such as basketball, pickleball, and soccer, and other activities like elliptical workouts, high-intensity interval training, pilates, and yoga.
—PC Magazine, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elliptical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elliptical
Adjective
-
In recent weeks, fans expressed concern after Spears posted dancing videos but opted to turn off comments on posts that had cryptic captions about her kids, Jayden James, 19, and Sean Preston, 20.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
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Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones dropped a cryptic hint that a blockbuster trade was coming, and after the team acquired linebacker Logan Wilson from the Cincinnati Bengals, many fans and analysts criticized Jones for overdelivering.—
Michael Gallagher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Hanging below the vast cosmic heart is a knot of dust and gas known informally as the Fishhead Nebula, thanks to its vaguely oval outline and a dark dust filament that gives it the appearance of an aquatic creature.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
19 Oct. 2025
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The main use case for an oval Dutch oven is for large cuts of meat like a rack of lamb.—
Emily Johnson,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Full color pages, informative charts and concise articles also set the outlet apart from others.—
Ralphie Aversa,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
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Nor does the starring vehicle for Alexandra Daddario offer a concise, specific take to differentiate itself from Rice’s original — its own version of making Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson) a Black man who falls in love with his maker.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
With stunning celerity, possibility becomes probability and then certainty, as readers reject the quiet, circuitous, and unglamorous narratives of prudential compromise, ambiguous diplomacy, or incremental progress.—
Elizabeth D. Samet,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Oct. 2025
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Ibsen’s choice to use Hedda’s maiden name for the play speaks to her resistance to the strong presence of men in her life; DaCosta’s choice to remove the surname entirely speaks to a rejection of patriarchal identity, replaced with an ambiguous void that Hedda herself doesn’t know how to fill.—
Rory Doherty,
Time,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The peace declaration included a commitment to withdraw heavy weapons from the border, de-mining efforts, and to de-escalate tensions that erupted into the brief but deadly border conflict.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
11 Nov. 2025
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An earlier, brief ceasefire between Pakistan and the TTP, brokered by Kabul in 2022, collapsed later after the group accused Islamabad of violating it.—
NPR,
NPR,
11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The sky was cloudless and dark with the moon’s light now below the horizon.—
Sheeka Sanahori,
Outside,
11 Nov. 2025
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Bordered by antique wood pillar columns, the custom wood and glass front doors lead into a rotunda foyer displaying dark polished hardwood floors that run throughout the interiors.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Such rights obviously do not include summary execution at sea.—
Mary Ellen O'Connell,
The Conversation,
4 Sep. 2025
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Not surprisingly, given the risk of summary execution, many had initial doubts.—
Yossi Melman,
ProPublica,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Add to that list Inhotim, a sprawling and relatively obscure contemporary art collection in the jungle of the state of Minas Gerais that surpasses any notion of what a museum can be.—
William O'Connor,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
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Mamdani began his campaign as a relatively obscure state lawmaker, little known even within New York City.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Elliptical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elliptical. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
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