1
as in mysteriousness
the quality or state of being impossible to know, understand, or explain
the inscrutability of divine intentions is something that people of faith usually just accept
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2
as in ambiguity
the quality or state of having a veiled or uncertain meaning
the inscrutability of the notations in the ledger—who, for example, was the recipient of "gift to X" ?
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Recent Examples of inscrutability
Théodore Pellerin is a force of abstract inscrutability as Matthew, a character whose true motivations are always kept just out of frame.
—
Michael Cuby, Them., 27 Aug. 2025
Michael Cuby, Them., 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inscrutability
Noun
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According to the outlet’s research findings, uncertainty and ambiguity are hallmarks of entrepreneurship.—
Jasmine Browley,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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Curiosity and possibly even lust play into their first encounter; part of the welcome complexity between this pale-skinned woman of substance and this tall, equally alabaster, formerly dead drink of water is the ambiguity in their initial interactions.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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This may be Riley’s attempt to portray the insularity and impenetrability of Ruth’s community, a faith so particular that even the reader is denied access to it.—
Hannah Gold,
New Yorker,
29 Aug. 2025
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For certain travelers, though, especially those who gravitate toward conflict zones and geopolitical oddities, Turkmenistan’s impenetrability has given it an alluring mystique.—
Joe Yogerst,
CNN Money,
31 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inscrutability.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inscrutability. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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