1
as in mysterious
being beyond one's powers to know, understand, or explain
the many inscrutable beliefs of that ancient religion
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ambiguous
having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning
ancient oracles typically uttered inscrutable prophecies that could be interpreted almost any way one chose
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inscrutable
Take the three men from Chicago who, motivated by some inscrutable force, recently attempted to set a Guinness World Record for fastest time visiting every single MARTA transit station.
—
Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 12 Jan. 2026
According to Know Your Meme, the term vagueposting started with vaguebooking, a description for a purposefully inscrutable Facebook update that encourages friends to check in.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 11 Jan. 2026
Cameron Winter’s lyrics have an air of inscrutable mysticism, but there is little doubt he’s supposed to be the one singing them.
—Armin Rosen, The Washington Examiner, 9 Jan. 2026
What hurts most is that there’s no single performance here as challenging and complex as what Florence Pugh was doing in Lady Macbeth or what Thomasin McKenzie delivered in Eileen — performances that demand focus and interpretation, conjuring the inscrutable within the familiar.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inscrutable
Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 12 Jan. 2026
According to Know Your Meme, the term vagueposting started with vaguebooking, a description for a purposefully inscrutable Facebook update that encourages friends to check in.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 11 Jan. 2026
Cameron Winter’s lyrics have an air of inscrutable mysticism, but there is little doubt he’s supposed to be the one singing them.
—Armin Rosen, The Washington Examiner, 9 Jan. 2026
What hurts most is that there’s no single performance here as challenging and complex as what Florence Pugh was doing in Lady Macbeth or what Thomasin McKenzie delivered in Eileen — performances that demand focus and interpretation, conjuring the inscrutable within the familiar.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inscrutable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inscrutable
Adjective
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Massie’s comments shined a new spotlight on Les Wexner, the former owner of Victoria’s Secret, who is one of the most mysterious figures in Epstein’s orbit – a key player in helping the financier’s rise to extreme wealth, whose motivations and ties to Epstein have long been a source of speculation.—
Curt Devine,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
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The parades are organized by elite and mysterious krewes that spend months preparing for the holiday, decorating their floats and selecting those who get to ride on them.—
Carlie Procell,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Çatak’s anti-state message acquires an ambiguous power as the movie wends onward, with an enigmatic final shot that finds Aziz tasting clear-skies freedom but still from behind confines of a sort.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
13 Feb. 2026
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Wuthering Heights simultaneously puts too much malevolence on Nelly’s shoulders while also making her final decisions sort of nonsensical, even ambiguous.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Then over the past weekend, the family posted another video — one that was more cryptic and generated even more speculation about Nancy Guthrie’s fate.—
Hallie Golden,
Fortune,
11 Feb. 2026
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Then over the past weekend, the family posted another video — one that was more cryptic and generated even more speculation about Nancy Guthrie’s fate.—
TY ONEIL,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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As Ecklund later learned, the sign was a reference to a once-obscure federal statute, 18 US Code 111, that has become a key tool used by immigration agents to detain American citizens.—
Isabelle Chapman,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
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Some deserving names, though, are still obscure, and that is why an exhibition at Poster House, on West Twenty-third Street, running until April 12th, is to be welcomed with gusto.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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There’s a fair share of dancefloor warriors—techno devotees, avante-garde fashionistas, curious international travelers, and the enigmatic regulars.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Feb. 2026
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And then, as happens so often with this most enigmatic of bands, the pendulum swung back.—
Ben Cardew,
Pitchfork,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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At the center of the space will be a central bar wrapped in wood paneling and leather accents, topped with dark stone, according to the release.—
Noelle Alviz-Gransee
February 17,
Kansas City Star,
17 Feb. 2026
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The shoes accompanied a silky black midi skirt, a simple gray sweater, a thick dark turquoise belt and a long furry gray coat worn off her shoulders.—
Jaden Thompson,
Footwear News,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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But wow, the resemblance is uncanny!—
Fleurine Tideman,
Glamour,
16 Feb. 2026
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Aivwis Angry Mama Microwave Oven Steam Cleaner Microwaves have an uncanny way of getting gross quickly, and cleaning can be a real drag.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The Dera was founded in 1948 by the mystic Mastana Balochistani in the Haryana city of Sirsa, near the northern state’s borders with Punjab, India’s breadbasket, and the desert state of Rajasthan.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
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Although Nuccio is as down to earth as anyone could be, and definitely not a mystic, there can be no disputing his stature as a remarkable man.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inscrutable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inscrutable. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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