MYSTERIOUS Synonyms: 143 Similar and Opposite Words

mysterious

adjective

mi-ˈstir-ē-əs

Definition of mysterious

as in cryptic

being beyond one's powers to know, understand, or explain the huge stone statues on Easter Island are ancient, mysterious, and haunting

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in ambiguous

having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning the stranger's mysterious prediction

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 mysterious This place has a mysterious spiritual atmosphere, shaped by the idea of sacred cosmic energy and stories of warriors who gained supernatural powers through intense training. — Shivani Vora, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 Tune in to this week’s episode to learn more about the moon’s mysterious impact on radio and how ham enthusiasts helped scientists test it. — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 29 July 2026 Harmon’s droll delivery offers humor inside a mysterious vibe, dropping many of the play’s funniest lines and inside baseball theater jokes. — David John Chávez, Mercury News, 28 July 2026 In the teaser for the six-episode series, which can be seen in its entirety below, a small seaside town is terrorized by a mysterious sea creature. — Joe Otterson, Variety, 28 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for mysterious

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mysterious

Adjective

Corsini and Massimo Vavassori’s script is needlessly cryptic at times, leaving the central figure too much of an abstraction.

— Dennis Harvey, Variety, 30 July 2026
Ella Rubin stars as Annie Jacobson, a high schooler who stumbles into a mystery when her grandfather dies and leaves her an island in Canada—along with a cryptic letter.

— Kenneal Patterson, Vanity Fair, 27 July 2026

Definition of cryptic

Adjective

High performers are the ones most often asked to manage difficult clients, resolve cross-functional conflict, make judgment calls and handle ambiguous challenges.

— Kim Meninger, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
This definition of midlife also has ambiguous boundaries, which Lachman readily admits.

— Julie Beck, The Atlantic, 25 July 2026

Definition of ambiguous

Adjective

Homer, the enigmatic poet, still provokes and inspires us all.

— John Blake, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
Even with Peter lamenting the loss of his mentor Tony Stark, high-school high jinks keep the storytelling lighthearted, while Jake Gyllenhaal makes an over-the-top splash as enigmatic supervillain Mysterio.

— Brian Truitt, USA Today, 31 July 2026

Definition of enigmatic

Adjective

Their traditional decor centers around darker fabrics and pale wall coverings.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
Her doctor advised her to stop clinical hyperpigmentation treatments for her dark spots and uneven skin tone as some ingredients could be unsafe to use while trying to conceive or during pregnancy.

— Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of dark

Adjective

Poetry of a Hindu mystic Kashmir gradually became a predominantly Muslim society after the Shah Mir dynasty came to power in the 14th century.

— Peter Dziedzic, The Conversation, 30 July 2026
As an Asgardian warrior, Thor needs his weapons, so his figure also includes his magical hammer Mjolnir and his mystic ax, Stormbreaker.

— Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 26 July 2026

Definition of mystic

Adjective

Some of the details are still obscure—no law requires OpenAI to explain itself—but the basic facts are well understood.

— Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2026
This confusion is a big reason why the once-obscure argument over the best inflation speedometer is heating up.

— Brandy Hadley, Fortune, 31 July 2026

Definition of obscure

Adjective

Played with tricksy force and a glint of anger in her eyes by Samantha Morton, Circe is at the center of the greatest scene in The Odyssey, one that foregrounds the grandeur and uncanny qualities of myth.

— Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 27 July 2026
Critics have praised this Dalloway riff for its entrancing, uncanny visuals.

— Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 27 July 2026

Definition of uncanny

Adjective

The pair ended practice with a touchdown off a deep toss from Young to McMillan with Jackson, again, in coverage.

— Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 31 July 2026
In an era dominated by physical defenders, Baresi distinguished himself through his reading of the game, redefining the sweeper role by combining defensive authority with the ability to launch attacks from deep.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 31 July 2026

Definition of deep

Browse Nearby Words

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mysterious

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“Mysterious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mysterious. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of mysterious

adjective

Example Sentences

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