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
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Recent Examples of elliptical
Mathematicians describe situations like this using what are called elliptic PDEs.
—
Quanta Magazine, 6 Feb. 2026
In a binary system, the two stars usually differ slightly in mass and move along stretched, elliptical paths.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 31 Jan. 2026
Then in her mid-fifties, Bainbridge was already well on her way to the status of a slightly rackety grande dame, having made her name in the Seventies with a blizzard of short, elliptical novels, comic in execution but tinged with an underlying darkness.
—Christopher Tayler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
SkinBit's solution creates a digital twin of your entire body in under 60 seconds using 16 high-resolution cameras arranged in an elliptical ring.
—Craig S. Smith, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elliptical
Quanta Magazine, 6 Feb. 2026
In a binary system, the two stars usually differ slightly in mass and move along stretched, elliptical paths.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 31 Jan. 2026
Then in her mid-fifties, Bainbridge was already well on her way to the status of a slightly rackety grande dame, having made her name in the Seventies with a blizzard of short, elliptical novels, comic in execution but tinged with an underlying darkness.
—Christopher Tayler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
SkinBit's solution creates a digital twin of your entire body in under 60 seconds using 16 high-resolution cameras arranged in an elliptical ring.
—Craig S. Smith, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elliptical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elliptical
Adjective
-
But others — that triangle, for example — are more cryptic.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Feb. 2026
-
That cryptic comment came amid widespread speculation about the future of Brown, who expressed his frustrations with the Eagles’ inconsistent pass offense during the season.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Oval Glass Doors That front door with an oval glass inset?—
Angelika Pokovba,
Martha Stewart,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Not all that long ago, relatively speaking, Zilisch was a kid with a brilliant road course racing background who never dreamed of ending up in the NASCAR world; his first-ever oval race was only in June 2022.—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Clear, commanding and concise instructions.—
Andy McGrath,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Get concise answers to your questions.—
Phil Davison,
Washington Post,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
There was a short period, near the end of a messy, deeply ambiguous night of football at the Parc des Princes, that could have come directly from May 2025, plucked from the timeline and placed here, a little winter gift from the sporting gods.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
26 Feb. 2026
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However, because the Supreme Court ruling did not explicitly mandate whether the Treasury must pay back the collected tariff revenue, the path to recovering those funds remains legally ambiguous.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
For a brief shining moment, that looked like a good bet, as gas prices rose to nearly $10 per million BTUs in mid-2022.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Police said Chavarria didn’t yield, leading to a brief pursuit.—
Timia Cobb
Breaking News Reporter,
Dallas Morning News,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Labrum presented a global outlook with block-print denim suits and dark wash denim coordinates embellished with oversized brooches and unconventional hardware.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
3 Mar. 2026
-
For best results, use a dark or espresso roast, use the smallest cup setting available and use the strongest brew setting.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
3 Mar. 2026
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
-
Erie, Pennsylvania; Lincoln, Nebraska; and the obscure Tri-Cities airport in Eastern Tennessee, among others.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Others cite obscure legal theories.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Elliptical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elliptical. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
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