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
This was the first time that the space plane had launched atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket to a highly elliptical (flattened) orbit.
—
Robert Lea, Space.com, 7 Mar. 2025
The existence of annular and total solar eclipses is explained by the moon's slightly elliptical orbit, which means its apparent size waxes and wanes over the course of a month.
—Jamie Carter, Space.com, 7 Mar. 2025
The whirligig pace of Perry’s cutting, with its constant sense of avoidance, actually represents something of a departure from the novel, which for all its elliptical qualities also refers constantly to Maria’s crying.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2025
At face value, the treadmill and the elliptical seem like two pretty similar pieces of gym equipment.
—Jennifer Heimlich, SELF, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elliptical
Robert Lea, Space.com, 7 Mar. 2025
The existence of annular and total solar eclipses is explained by the moon's slightly elliptical orbit, which means its apparent size waxes and wanes over the course of a month.
—Jamie Carter, Space.com, 7 Mar. 2025
The whirligig pace of Perry’s cutting, with its constant sense of avoidance, actually represents something of a departure from the novel, which for all its elliptical qualities also refers constantly to Maria’s crying.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2025
At face value, the treadmill and the elliptical seem like two pretty similar pieces of gym equipment.
—Jennifer Heimlich, SELF, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elliptical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elliptical
Adjective
-
When an old acquaintance is murdered, leaving behind a cryptic message to ‘find the accountant,’ Wolff is compelled to solve the case.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Despite the cryptic message, many fans figured out where to find the singer and showed up in droves, forcing Lorde to initially cancel her appearance.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The Kohler Sunstruck oval tub is standard in the primary bathroom if this layout is chosen.—
Benjamin C Tankersley,
Washington Post,
1 Feb. 2023
-
This simple opener works well on circular cans but may not be effective on dented, square, or oval cans.—
Maya Polton,
Better Homes & Gardens,
31 Jan. 2023
Adjective
-
Refine your key points to be clear and concise—no rambling monologues.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
-
As the celebration on the floor dispersed to make way for the second national semifinal, Clayton could be seen greeting every teammate and staffer who offered a handshakes or a hug with a concise message.—
Brian Hamilton,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
But the scene itself could be read as a little ambiguous, too: is Sammie trying to pierce the veil again, playing a song that could both foster community but also bring back the vampires?—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
18 Apr. 2025
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As the days turned into weeks, the reality of her situation remained ambiguous.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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During a brief news conference, Pocatello Mayor Brian Blad said officials could not take questions, citing the ongoing investigation and pending litigation.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
-
The show had a brief run Off Broadway in 1996, then lived on with a miniature national tour and a beloved cast recording.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Other notable roles for Chastain include playing astronaut Melissa Lewis in The Martian, the enigmatic Murph in Interstellar and real-life figure Molly Bloom in Molly’s Game.—
Justin Kroll,
Deadline,
15 Apr. 2025
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These enigmatic paintings are inspired by Edvard Munch and William Blake: After Munch: Less is Known than People Think, 2023, and After Blake: Less is Known than People Think, 2024, in which astronomy, history and geography cross paths with spirituality, according to the artist.—
Cecilia Rodriguez,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The sixth song on Beyoncé’s eighth studio album, Cowboy Carter, is a curt history lesson nestled in a massive song cycle with an undeniable rallying cry.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
3 Feb. 2025
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There was also his curt response to a strange controversy over his decision not to include an image of Armstrong planting the American flag on the moon.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Autopsy results revealed that Morin had endured 15 to 20 blows to the head and had died from a combination of strangulation and blunt force trauma.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
17 Apr. 2025
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Not to be blunt, but there’s really no good excuse to skip SPF application, regardless of your skin tone or skin type.—
Catharine Malzahn,
Glamour,
11 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Elliptical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elliptical. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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