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
Relevance
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
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Recent Examples of elliptical
With veteran producers like alt-rock hand Jackknife Lee and Charli XCX assist man Justin Raisen on board, as well as the band’s crack current lineup (which includes Sleater-Kinney/Quasi drummer Janet Weiss on one track), that elliptical magic happens more often than not.
—
Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 8 June 2026
This partial lunar eclipse will occur just over five days after the moon reaches apogee — its farthest point from Earth on its slightly elliptical orbit — making it of average apparent size.
—Jamie Carter, Space.com, 4 June 2026
Already budgeting time for the elliptical or the free weights area ahead of your next gym visit?
—Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 28 May 2026
Riverwork, only her second novel after a lifetime of ludic, elliptical poetry, assigns itself an essentially recuperative and archival undertaking.
—Literary Hub, 21 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for elliptical
Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 8 June 2026
This partial lunar eclipse will occur just over five days after the moon reaches apogee — its farthest point from Earth on its slightly elliptical orbit — making it of average apparent size.
—Jamie Carter, Space.com, 4 June 2026
Already budgeting time for the elliptical or the free weights area ahead of your next gym visit?
—Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 28 May 2026
Riverwork, only her second novel after a lifetime of ludic, elliptical poetry, assigns itself an essentially recuperative and archival undertaking.
—Literary Hub, 21 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for elliptical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elliptical
Adjective
-
Her cryptic visions eventually lead her to Daniel and Hugo (Colman Domingo), an advocate for alien disclosure.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
13 June 2026
-
Its plight is spelled out in securities filings containing cryptic language.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
But his run to fourth in qualifying at Phoenix, the first oval race of the season, turned heads.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
22 May 2026
-
The ring features a 12-carat, oval Ceylon sapphire at its center surrounded by a halo of 14 diamonds set in 18k white gold—by anyone’s eye, a beautiful piece.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Draft a concise proposal and set measurable checkpoints for a decision‑maker, because clear milestones help busy people say yes without extra clarification.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
14 June 2026
-
Get concise answers to your questions.—
Dan Diamond,
Washington Post,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
Nonetheless, the series evolves into an elaborate soap opera over its 39 episodes, with complex scheming characters opposing Utena, her relationship with Anthy serving as the lodestar that guides this tragedy towards its ambiguous conclusion.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
12 June 2026
-
Ruling upends August elections At the center of the controversy is an ambiguous ruling from the Missouri Supreme Court last month that left local election officials scrambling.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
12 June 2026
Adjective
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That brief relief seemingly ignored an announcement from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) just a few days earlier, that could create more intractable trouble for businesses in the months ahead.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
17 June 2026
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Having a holiday such as Juneteenth to celebrate allows for a brief respite—a pause—to recall how necessary Black Americans are to the very existence and survival of this country—then and now.—
Jennifer Rosen Heinz,
Parents,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
But the true story behind it is a dark, sad and overall pretty confusing one.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
Trudeau embraced the Southern California vibes and wore a green T-shirt with black shorts and a pair of dark sunglasses.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
The judge considered hundreds of pages of evidence and testimony from San Diego officials, homeowners and their lawyers and determined that the city had not met the burden for what is called summary adjudication in any of the five causes of actions.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
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Such rights obviously do not include summary execution at sea.—
Mary Ellen O'Connell,
The Conversation,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The interlocking puzzle of the iPhone, GPS and Google Maps was a moment when multiple strands of technological development, some of them obscure and many with deep links to the US military, converged into a single life-changing package.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 June 2026
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What has changed in recent years, however, is that prediction markets are no longer an obscure pastime enjoyed by political junkies.—
Matt Motta,
The Conversation,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Elliptical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elliptical. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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