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

But Raman’s answers never meandered and weren’t too elliptical, even when she was pressed by the able moderators. — Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026

The elliptical passage of time across the film’s broader structure also manifests more directly in how Tanaka shapes a scene, sometimes cutting off before the final word spoken. — Kambole Campbell, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026

Ripa pointed to planks, Pilates, swimming, yoga and the elliptical as alternatives. — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026

Tucked away in Connecticut’s affluent, historic town of New Canaan—about 40 miles northeast of Manhattan—sits a striking home defined by concentric circles and elliptical geometry. — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 7 Oct. 2026