1
as in profound
difficult for one of ordinary knowledge or intelligence to understand
metaphysics is such an esoteric subject that most people are content to leave it to the philosophers
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in confidential
not known or meant to be known by the general populace
must have had some esoteric motive for leaving his art collection to a museum halfway around the globe
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Recent Examples of esoteric
Much of the group’s cosmology derives from The Urantia Book, a mishmash of Christianity, metaphysics, and esoteric spirituality, that was purportedly written by celestial beings and published anonymously in 1955.
—
Jane Borden, Rolling Stone, 5 Feb. 2026
Deadly wildfires, immigration raids, and an esoteric yet expensive battle about redrawing congressional districts are among the topics that dominated headlines in the state last year.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
The debate may seem esoteric, given the party brand issues Democrats have contended with and the fact that the 2028 election is still years away.
—Hunter Woodall, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
The second floor is fully stocked with cookbooks and esoteric kitchenware.
—Matt Kirouac, Travel + Leisure, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for esoteric
Jane Borden, Rolling Stone, 5 Feb. 2026
Deadly wildfires, immigration raids, and an esoteric yet expensive battle about redrawing congressional districts are among the topics that dominated headlines in the state last year.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
The debate may seem esoteric, given the party brand issues Democrats have contended with and the fact that the 2028 election is still years away.
—Hunter Woodall, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
The second floor is fully stocked with cookbooks and esoteric kitchenware.
—Matt Kirouac, Travel + Leisure, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for esoteric
Recent Examples of Synonyms for esoteric
Adjective
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That sort of profound insight is indeed a rare commodity these days.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
19 Feb. 2026
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John and Alice Coltrane lived, composed, recorded, and pursued spiritual study during a period of profound artistic transformation during their time in the New York home, and Coltrane came of age as a creative innovator within the local music community while living in the Philadelphia House.—
Jem Aswad,
Variety,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The episode delves into the confidential medical procedure to collect DNA and evidence and gives one of the most detailed depictions of the process for television.—
Senior Television,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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Mountbatten-Windsor and Giuffre's settlement was confidential, the parties had said in a joint statement in the filing.—
Kim Hjelmgaard,
USA Today,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Internal decision-making can become polarized, funding relationships strained, and exhibitions evaluated through ideological lenses rather than scholarly merit.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
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The fact that Katherine had been institutionalized may have tainted her scholarly reputation.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The exhibit features 200 artworks, some certified originals lent by private collectors and the rest are replicas.—
Abby Hamblin,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
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Public safety, like infrastructure, exists because communities pool resources to provide services the private market often cannot deliver equitably.—
Lisa Mallozzi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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TikToks promising secret loopholes, Reddit threads dissecting deductions and content creators insisting ways to outsmart the IRS.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Feb. 2026
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Dry onion soup mix is the secret shortcut to lots of flavor.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The pair settled out of court for an undisclosed sum in 2022, per The Guardian.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
19 Feb. 2026
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Her civil case was settled in February 2022 for an undisclosed amount, with the then-prince making a substantial donation to her charity.—
Sarah D. Wire,
USA Today,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Esoteric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/esoteric. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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