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 Vintage Avengers readers will guess the who, what, and why of this mysterious figure fairly quickly. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2026 At the behest of a mysterious client, the bounty hunter Paladin (Todd Stashwick) is on Vision’s trail, as is the aforementioned android (T’Nia Miller). — Alison Herman, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026 As her paintings are visionary statements providing mysterious insights into the inner life of an artist, so, too, is Lee Krasner a visionary and a revolutionary personality as a woman. — Barbara Rose, Vogue, 11 Oct. 2026 The next entry in the Redhaven saga, Afraid of Clowns, sees the arrival of a mysterious clown troupe led by Ringmaster Rollo. — Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 11 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mysterious

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mysterious

Adjective

The cryptic eco-disaster project will represent a loss of hundreds of millions when all is said and done.

— Matt Donnelly, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
Emanuel’s cryptic comment comes amid claims that Meghan was in early talks to star in the third season of Guy Ritchie’s Netflix series The Gentlemen.

— Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of cryptic

Adjective

But the future of early-career employment is increasingly ambiguous, largely due to the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

— Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
From here on out, the authorship of Tae-ju’s life is ambiguous, as well as constantly in flux, buffeted by the whims and suggestions of others, as well as by her own impulses.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of ambiguous

Adjective

The story centers on a transfer student’s enigmatic bond with a teacher, as a string of unexplained, supernatural incidents cracks the school’s polished facade.

— Ophélie Surcouf, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
He is saved by an enigmatic young mechanic who equips him with a custom mechanical arm.

— Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of enigmatic

Adjective

Nordic drama is still often associated internationally with crime, darker tones and a certain visual restraint.

— Marta Balaga, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
Campaign images show close-fitting cycling jerseys paired with dark shorts, with prints ranging from yellow-green graphics to blue-and-white patterns.

— Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of dark

Adjective

Two translations—of poems by the Indian mystic Mirabai and the contemporary Romanian poet Radu Vancu—seek to inhabit and transcend the history that holds up the present.

— Craig Morgan Teicher, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
Rumi is also the name of a very famous 13th-century Persian poet and mystic.

— Sarah Scott, Parents, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of mystic

Adjective

But there isn’t even a word for what happened Friday when a once-obscure board canceled a meeting to decide the future of homeless services in Los Angeles because too many people came to vote.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026
Ivey and his partner persuaded the Crockfords dealer to rotate the high-value cards 180 degrees before shuffling them back into the pack, citing some obscure superstition as justification.

— Kit Chellel, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of obscure

Adjective

Its obvious artificiality and absurdity fit neatly into an online meme culture that often revels in the uncanny.

— Angela Yang, NBC news, 7 Oct. 2026
All of this is part of Flanagan’s general preference for giving characters the benefit of the doubt and for grounding the eerie and the uncanny in our lived experiences.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of uncanny

Adjective

Both have built much of their appeal on opposition to the political establishment, the promise to wish away budget constraints, and deep hostility toward the European Union.

— Nicholas Bequelin, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
Acting was his guiding passion, but his deep love for the avant-garde helped till the ground for the city’s theatrical renaissance that the 1984 Olympic Arts Festival catalyzed.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of deep

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mysteries

mysterious

mysteriousness

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“Mysterious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mysterious. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of mysterious

adjective

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