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mysterious

adjective

mi-ˈstir-ē-əs How to pronounce mysterious (audio)
Definition of mysteriousnext
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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 Even in the telescope’s first images, astronomers could see a whole zoo of mysterious smears of light. — Quanta Magazine, 14 Sep. 2026 This tight, ticking-clock thriller unfolds almost in real time, with Gal Gadot as a fit lawyer whose son is kidnapped by a mysterious villain (Damian Lewis). — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026 Continue reading … — 9/11 'last survivor' reveals mysterious encounter after 27 hours buried beneath rubble. — FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 2026 But something else is going on now, something much more mysterious. — Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 10 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mysterious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mysterious
  1. cryptic
  2. ambiguous
  3. enigmatic
  4. dark
  5. mystic
  6. obscure
  7. uncanny
  8. deep
Adjective
  • Though the Gallaghers weren’t on hand at the film’s press conference earlier on Saturday to field questions, the band has posted several cryptic teasers on Instagram that have sent fans into detective mode.
    — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Sasha Farber posted a cryptic photo following his absence from DWTS’ season 35 lineup.
    — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of cryptic
Adjective
  • The diabolical is ambiguous and often frankly sexy; the ridiculous is not.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Others require deep intelligence—analyzing complex financial information, generating code from ambiguous requirements or weighing competing factors.
    — Nitin Gupta, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of ambiguous
Adjective
  • An enigmatic and alluring university professor (Moss) with a thing for younger men is among the local suspects, who begin to seem connected.
    — Jennie Punter, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The hothouse flowers of the salon—a nod to the city’s art nouveau Palmenhaus—were painstakingly painted by Viennese artist Marie Hartig, while the rooftop mural is by enigmatic graffiti artist KNARF.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of enigmatic
Adjective
  • Floor-to-ceiling glass walls let a lot of light into the space, which is decorated in tones of gray, with dark wood herring bone floors in the bar.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Sep. 2026
  • In its concluding episodes, the HBO juggernaut thrust an unearned heel turn on its female lead, rendered its climactic battle so dark viewers couldn’t see it, and ended over 70 hours of buildup with a rando on the Iron Throne.
    — Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of dark
Adjective
  • The mystic whine of Christine Ott and Mathieu Gabry’s score carries us into a hidden world of ancient Thai deities living inside the mountain’s caves and tunnels.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Such questions, in fact, may not be the right ones to ask about the man variously described as a teacher, philosopher, maverick mystic, and enlightened person.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of mystic
Adjective
  • Last month, Vance hurled himself into an obscure debate over burrito prices to make a gratuitous swipe at a conservative Washington Post columnist’s weight.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Beneath the cringe internet overshare was a welcome indication that the vaginal microbiome has finally moved from an obscure area of medical research into mainstream conversation.
    — Amy Francombe, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of obscure
Adjective
  • Each one of her novels presents a different setting and dynamic, but her oeuvre is unified by careful thought, sharp style, and an uncanny ability to make the pages want to turn.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026
  • To trace the bloc of states where over 50% of religious congregation members were Baptist or Methodist was to trace the region’s boundaries with uncanny precision.
    — John Hayes, The Conversation, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of uncanny
Adjective
  • This appointment arrives as Nike navigates deep operational restructuring and severe market headwinds.
    — , CNBC, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The work is meant to address the 3- to 6-inch-deep depression on Pocket Road, city spokesperson Carlos Eliason said.
    — Madison Smalstig, Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of deep

Browse Nearby Words

mysteries
mysterious
mysteriousness
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Cite this Entry

“Mysterious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mysterious. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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