1
as in mysterious
being beyond one's powers to know, understand, or explain
the many inscrutable beliefs of that ancient religion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 unavoidable comparison here is with Pelé, sporting excellence personified but also inscrutable, even a little remote.
—
Jack Lang, New York Times, 28 May 2026
Some of these attacks come from the left, or from people with inscrutable worldviews.
—Juliette Kayyem, The Atlantic, 19 May 2026
The cult status Drain Gang commands online has created an inscrutable, near-mythical air around its members.
—Harry Thorfinn-George, Pitchfork, 27 Apr. 2026
As the show’s most inscrutable characters, Cassie and Nate’s relationship is built on their individual desires to be taken seriously.
—Zoe Papelis, Vulture, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inscrutable
Jack Lang, New York Times, 28 May 2026
Some of these attacks come from the left, or from people with inscrutable worldviews.
—Juliette Kayyem, The Atlantic, 19 May 2026
The cult status Drain Gang commands online has created an inscrutable, near-mythical air around its members.
—Harry Thorfinn-George, Pitchfork, 27 Apr. 2026
As the show’s most inscrutable characters, Cassie and Nate’s relationship is built on their individual desires to be taken seriously.
—Zoe Papelis, Vulture, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inscrutable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inscrutable
Adjective
-
The novel is built around an encounter between the mysterious title character and a music hall aficionado in London in 1938, the year before World War II.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 June 2026
-
In actuality, its premise falls closer to Apple’s Palm Royale or the 2010s ABC drama Revenge, following a mysterious outsider trying to gain a foothold among the elite.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
As the noise-rap-electro act Jane Remover shrieked and pleaded through a 90-minute marathon set at the Fonda on Thursday night, one very young couple dressed right out of a conservative‘s nightmare — gender-ambiguous, purple hair, facial piercings — tapped me on the shoulder.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
-
At a billion scans a month, even modest rates imply hundreds of millions of ambiguous results a year, each one demanding a clinical decision and producing a worried customer.—
Gabriel Alin Zainescu,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Adjective
-
Her cryptic visions eventually lead her to Daniel and Hugo (Colman Domingo), an advocate for alien disclosure.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
13 June 2026
-
Its plight is spelled out in securities filings containing cryptic language.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
The interlocking puzzle of the iPhone, GPS and Google Maps was a moment when multiple strands of technological development, some of them obscure and many with deep links to the US military, converged into a single life-changing package.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 June 2026
-
What has changed in recent years, however, is that prediction markets are no longer an obscure pastime enjoyed by political junkies.—
Matt Motta,
The Conversation,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
Here's what Steven Spielberg had to say about that enigmatic ending.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
13 June 2026
-
To say much more about the group, let alone what happens to Claire, would betray the story’s enigmatic nature.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
But the true story behind it is a dark, sad and overall pretty confusing one.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
Trudeau embraced the Southern California vibes and wore a green T-shirt with black shorts and a pair of dark sunglasses.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
The instrumental break before the final chorus, with Nilles let loose on Neil Peart’s parts and Lifeson soloing like his Seventies self, was one of the many moments of uncanny resurrection on the tour so far — the essence of Rush, in full, despite the tragic absence of a key third of the band.—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
14 June 2026
-
Perrotta’s novels have been lavishly praised for their uncanny ability to articulate dark, often uncomfortable emotional truths of American culture, using humor and sharp observational skills to explore profound shifts in how people communicate and coexist.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
The mystic chords that bind us together matter more than any policy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Operating within those parameters, the mystic outlands trend extends to some of the world’s most mesmerizing corners.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inscrutable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inscrutable. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
