INSCRUTABLE Synonyms: 143 Similar and Opposite Words

inscrutable

adjective

in-ˈskrü-tə-bəl

Definition of inscrutable

as in mysterious

being beyond one's powers to know, understand, or explain the many inscrutable beliefs of that ancient religion

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of inscrutable The language switch has done nothing to lessen its global appeal, as a quick perusal of the YouTube comments suggests, though there are some jokes Jakubović acknowledges would be inscrutable outside Bosnia. — ABC News, 12 June 2026 In my fiction, my grandfather was no longer an inscrutable ghost, but a character with definable flaws, who did things in an order that, despite whatever twists and subversions, resolved into meaning. — Literary Hub, 10 June 2026 The inscrutable inside jokes and references to the history of us. — Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 9 June 2026 Something inscrutable flashes behind those keen hazel eyes. — Shyla Watson, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for inscrutable

Recent Examples of Synonyms for inscrutable

Adjective

In Season 1, the mysterious deep-space research vessel USCSS Maginot, which crash-lands on Earth.

— Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 9 July 2026
And Miles starts to notice a mysterious woman in not just one of his photos.

— Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 9 July 2026

Definition of mysterious

Adjective

As for the ambiguous finale, Hall and Bravo have similar, but slightly different views on it.

— Reshma Gopaldas, IndieWire, 9 July 2026
Much of what couples experience as conflict is, on closer inspection, a disagreement about which interpretation of an ambiguous event is the correct one, and that disagreement is rarely settled by appeals to trust.

— Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026

Definition of ambiguous

Adjective

It was filled with brackets and parentheticals, written in different fonts and colors, much of it in capital letters, at once detailed and cryptic.

— Joaquin Sapien, ProPublica, 30 June 2026
His doctors speculated his infection might have been a rare case of cryptic transmission from sharing meals and bathrooms with his coworkers, one of whom apparently had a tapeworm infection.

— Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 26 June 2026

Definition of cryptic

Adjective

Intentionally vague and obscure, the Daodejing would go on to inspire various interpretations ranging from philosophical reflections to how to realize the Dao in everyday practice.

— Michael Naparstek, The Conversation, 6 July 2026
The end of legal slavery in New York should not be an obscure historical fact.

— Tunisia Morrison, New York Daily News, 5 July 2026

Definition of obscure

Adjective

The admittedly shy Belgian-Italian fashion designer Anthony Vaccarello entered the house of Saint Laurent as an enigmatic underdog.

— José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 6 July 2026
Many aspects of the physics underlying GRBs remain enigmatic—but Rubin’s potential for discovering entirely new types of transients could soon offer astronomers a wealth of additional cosmic mysteries to solve.

— Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 1 July 2026

Definition of enigmatic

Adjective

As its name suggests, the product is formulated with skin care superstar retinol to smooth fine lines and crow’s feet and brighten dark circles.

— Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 7 July 2026
El Floridita and Sloppy Joe’s, tourist destinations made famous by American novelist Ernest Hemingway, sat dark and shuttered.

— Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 6 July 2026

Definition of dark

Adjective

Mpasi, after almost 90 minutes of uncanny reflexes keeping England out, did not move a muscle.

— Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 1 July 2026
The 6-foot-11 Condon rebounds relentlessly, protects the rim, delivers uncanny passes and makes winning plays, none bigger than his hustle to secure Florida’s comeback victory against Houston in the 2025 national championship game.

— Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2026

Definition of uncanny

Adjective

His guru, Ramakrishna, was a 19th-century mystic and spiritual teacher in Bengal whose teachings on the unity underlying all religions shaped the worldview Vivekananda would go on to spread globally.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 4 July 2026
In Mozart’s opera, Tamino, a prince in a fairyland of mystic temples and mystifying gods, relies on his supernatural flute that turn sorrow into joy to get him out of jams.

— Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2026

Definition of mystic

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“Inscrutable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inscrutable. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of inscrutable

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