Synonyms of mysterious

mysterious

adjective

mi-ˈstir-ē-əs 

1

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

• cryptic
• enigmatic
• mystic
• uncanny
• obscure
• dark
• deep
• unexplainable
• inscrutable
• murky
• ambiguous
• mystical
• vague
• occult
• arcane
• impenetrable
• confusing
• shadowy
• esoteric
• metaphysical
• fuzzy
• supernatural
• inexplicable
• incomprehensible
• unfathomable
• unintelligible
• darkling
• unaccountable
• unknowable
• imponderable
• puzzling
• unanswerable
• equivocal
• perplexing
• unsearchable
• baffling
• numinous
• confounding
• recondite
• abstruse
• mystifying
• bewildering
• disorienting
• befuddling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• understandable
• intelligible
• obvious
• apparent
• unmistakable
• clear
• evident
• plain
• manifest
• transparent
• fathomable
• unequivocal
• unambiguous
• straightforward
• palpable
• perspicuous
• open-and-shut
• patent

2

as in ambiguous

having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning

the stranger's mysterious prediction

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ambiguous
• cryptic
• enigmatic
• dark
• obscure
• mystic
• esoteric
• murky
• unclear
• vague
• inscrutable
• nebulous
• questionable
• opaque
• occult
• arcane
• uncertain
• deep
• equivocal
• Delphic
• elliptical
• confusing
• weird
• eerie
• fuliginous
• shadowy
• complicated
• uncanny
• obscurant
• inexplicable
• double-edged
• recondite
• abstruse
• incomprehensible
• fuzzy
• indistinct
• faint
• shrouded
• hazy
• disguised
• misty
• puzzling
• invisible
• cloaked
• masked
• foggy
• difficult
• indirect
• undefined
• undetermined
• perplexing
• complex
• concealed
• unknowable
• baffling
• indecipherable
• intangible
• indefinite
• muddy
• clouded
• shaded
• dim
• mystifying
• indistinguishable
• unanswerable
• inexact
• cloudy
• noncommittal
• bewildering
• impenetrable
• confounding
• sphinxlike
• unfathomable
• impalpable
• inappreciable
• inexplicit
• shadowlike
• obfuscatory
• circuitous
• obtuse
• befogged
• bedimmed
• roundabout
• beclouded
• obnubilated

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• obvious
• clear
• certain
• plain
• distinct
• accessible
• unequivocal
• unambiguous
• understandable
• evident
• intelligible
• comprehensible
• bright
• strong
• sure
• legible
• knowable
• direct
• nonambiguous
• firm
• exact
• definite
• defined
• explicit
• determined
• fathomable
• straightforward
• visible
• tangible
• pellucid
• self-evident
• self-explanatory
• appreciable
• unmistakable
• palpable
• blatant
• patent

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of mysterious

Studying stars like this one could help scientists measure those mysterious properties, including how fast the supermassive black hole spins. — ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026

The mysterious wounds found on one of the world's oldest orcas have triggered an investigation in Spain and raised questions about whether someone took aim at the famed killer whale amid years of tense encounters between orcas and boats. — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 18 Aug. 2026

The unique architecture and porthole windows, the interesting histories and mysterious lore, the picture-perfect lakeside settings … lighthouses never fail to spark my curiosity and inspire me to pull out my camera. — Midwest Living, 18 Aug. 2026

On this day in 1911, a woman with a mysterious smile went missing. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Aug. 2026