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 Hawthorne, who had two daughters and a son, captures how children can seem to their parents like mysterious little people beyond their control. — Robert S. Levine, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026 Paintings of urban dining were commonplace among the Ashcan portfolios of John Sloan and Robert Henri, the latter whose mysterious nocturnes of outdoor night cafés seem particularly relevant. — Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026 Set in a small village from Sierra Morena, the story turns on a group of astrophysicists investigating mysterious flickering lights, until one of them-Sara starts to believe the light might be her deceased father trying to communicate. — Annika Pham, Variety, 25 Oct. 2026 In the film, Coon plays Rita Cooper, a Holocaust survivor who abandons her family to join up with a mysterious commune. — Erin Wisti, Footwear News, 25 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mysterious

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mysterious

Adjective

Here’s a prime example of a more cryptic style of clue that sometimes pops up in late-week puzzles.

— Sean McGowan, New York Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Kermode was curious, if not slightly annoyed about all this cryptic communication and the request for a secret rendezvous.

— David Fear, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of cryptic

Adjective

Swamped by allegations of fraud, the actions of the company and its enigmatic CEO, Elizabeth Holmes, shone a harsh light on problems with scientific start-ups.

— Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 16 Oct. 2026
That's especially prevalent in the Oversized Graphic T-Shirt with enigmatic dates on the back -- those are already causing a stir in the fan community.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of enigmatic

Adjective

The ad is characteristic of the increasingly dark tone Hilton’s campaign has taken on in the home stretch.

— Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Netanyahu's supporters see him as a steady hand and a consummate statesman who has led Israel through a war of redemption after the country's darkest hour.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of dark

Adjective

What’s more, even without steering, the bots were prone to mystic ruminations.

— Sam Kestenbaum, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026
Take The Night Veils, for example, which seeks to capture the spirit of the night through fragrances that can best be described as primal and mystic.

— Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of mystic

Adjective

But Sung, Bennett and Miller stayed his order, finding that the California deployment could go forward under an obscure and virtually untested subsection of the law.

— Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
The area sits within the Lake Superior clay plain, where the surrounding soil is largely composed of clay, which can make the water murky and obscure objects beneath the surface.

— Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of obscure

Adjective

For many people, however, the presentation instead bears an uncanny and unfortunate resemblance to imagery used in Nazi-era Germany.

— Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
The man does seem to have an uncanny ability to pick projects that will have a long shelf life — everything from Up in Smoke and Harold and Maude to Singles, Steel Magnolias, Poison Ivy, and Contact.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of uncanny

Adjective

Thunder general manager Sam Presti didn’t specify how long both will miss, but they are expected to miss months, at a minimum, putting their availability for any playoff run — especially a deep one — in serious doubt.

— Andrew Greif, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2026
The formulation also contains the patented Cell-Ox Shield Technology, which combines sun protection with antioxidants for deeper skin protection.

— Lauren Valenti, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of deep

Browse Nearby Words

mysteries

mysterious

mysteriousness

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“Mysterious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mysterious. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of mysterious

adjective

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