Synonyms of elliptical

elliptical

adjective

i-ˈlip-ti-kəl 

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

• cryptic
• ambiguous
• dark
• obscure
• enigmatic
• mystic
• mysterious
• opaque
• esoteric
• vague
• inscrutable
• murky
• nebulous
• unclear
• fuliginous
• occult
• arcane
• questionable
• equivocal
• Delphic
• deep
• obscurant
• uncertain
• shaded
• abstruse
• indirect
• confusing
• weird
• double-edged
• fuzzy
• eerie
• shadowy
• complicated
• recondite
• faint
• indistinct
• foggy
• uncanny
• misty
• complex
• hazy
• cloudy
• invisible
• noncommittal
• concealed
• inexact
• incomprehensible
• indefinite
• indecipherable
• disguised
• undefined
• indistinguishable
• shrouded
• puzzling
• inexplicable
• difficult
• muddy
• cloaked
• sphinxlike
• clouded
• impenetrable
• masked
• roundabout
• obfuscatory
• dim
• bedimmed
• inexplicit
• obtuse
• circuitous
• undetermined
• perplexing
• shadowlike
• baffling
• unanswerable
• intangible
• unknowable
• beclouded
• confounding
• mystifying
• impalpable
• obnubilated
• inappreciable
• bewildering
• unfathomable
• befogged

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• plain
• clear
• obvious
• accessible
• unambiguous
• intelligible
• distinct
• unequivocal
• legible
• certain
• comprehensible
• bright
• evident
• understandable
• strong
• pellucid
• direct
• sure
• firm
• nonambiguous
• defined
• explicit
• knowable
• straightforward
• exact
• definite
• determined
• visible
• self-explanatory
• fathomable
• self-evident
• tangible
• appreciable
• unmistakable
• palpable
• blatant
• patent

2

as in oval

having the shape of an egg

the villa's marble pool is surrounded by an elliptic arrangement of ancient Greek statuary

Synonyms & Similar Words

• oval
• ovate
• ovoid

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

• concise
• brief
• summary
• epigrammatic
• aphoristic
• monosyllabic
• telegraphic
• pithy
• laconic
• short
• compact
• blunt
• succinct
• terse
• capsule
• curt
• sententious
• compendious
• crisp
• apothegmatic
• condensed
• thumbnail
• abbreviated
• abrupt
• shortened
• brusque
• abridged
• meaningful
• meaty
• curtailed
• substantial
• snippy
• well-turned
• snippety
• significant

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• circuitous
• diffuse
• redundant
• repetitious
• prolix
• wordy
• verbose
• rambling
• windy
• tautological
• enlarged
• circumlocutory
• long-winded
• exaggerated
• inflated
• expanded
• pleonastic
• supplemented
• tautologous
• embroidered
• embellished

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of elliptical

Stettheimer processes all this newness through Susanna’s internal dissonance and the novel’s elliptical quality. — Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026

The satellite was launched into a highly elliptical orbit above Earth in May and is a collaboration between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences to study solar and geomagnetic storms and space weather. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 30 Sep. 2026

The new Havaianas Kitten Heel, which debuted during Copenhagen Fashion Week on the Studio Constance spring 2027 runway, features an asymmetric elliptical heel and a cover for the big toe. — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 24 Sep. 2026

Someone with achy knees may prefer cycling or swimming; someone who wants a weight-bearing option may favor stairs or the elliptical. — Jakob Roze, HEALTH, 23 Sep. 2026