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

Relevance

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 Harrison’s post-apocalyptic turn takes place in the English coastal town of Dalston-on-Sea in the not-too-distant future, during the occupation of mysterious lifeforms called the iGhetti. — Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2026 Along with the allure of her mysterious character, the chance to work with The Dark Knight star made the role an easy yes. — Esther Lian, PEOPLE, 9 Nov. 2026 His demise on Halloween fit well -- too well, some claim -- with his mysterious, even supernatural aura. — Arkansas Online, 8 Nov. 2026 The story follows a mysterious woman who appears in town more than 20 years after she was supposedly murdered. — Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 7 Nov. 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
  • Then, on October 26, a member of Parliament—who happened to be the brother-in-law of one of the conspirators—received a cryptic, anonymous letter.
    — Lucia Barnum, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The news arrives after a cryptic graphic teasing the tour was posted on Instagram, featuring imagery from The Great Divide.
    — Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of cryptic
Adjective
  • The cover art for The Holy Cross Tigers is awash in burgundy, a more ambiguous shade that’s indicative of the oppositional emotions stewing within.
    — Stuart Berman, Pitchfork, 5 Nov. 2026
  • But Maryland’s climate goals have been ambiguous and inconsistent.
    — Alex Pavlak, Baltimore Sun, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of ambiguous
Adjective
  • Even your biggest hits have something of an enigmatic quality.
    — Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Today, this Chilean territory is essentially an open-air archaeological museum, with many of its enigmatic moai (representations of Polynesian ancestors) returned to their upright positions following seven decades of restoration.
    — Mark Johanson, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of enigmatic
Adjective
  • The watch is home to a dark gray gradient opaline in the dial’s center, surrounded by a light-gray sunburst gradient on the chapter ring.
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 10 Nov. 2026
  • The television special offered a glimpse of the conversation pit, now done up with dark maroon carpet and a navy sofa with white cushions.
    — Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 10 Nov. 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
  • The pope is, among many other things, an American baby boomer who, earlier this summer, referenced in a footnote in a treatise on peace a Dylan lyric so obscure that not even Padgett had ever heard of it.
    — Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2026
  • From star lender to seized bank Ueno Bank, which skyrocketed from an obscure finance company to a household name in less than five years, claimed more than 60% of Paraguay’s adults as customers.
    — Isabel Debre, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of obscure
Adjective
  • Dowler-Guerrero said Raman had an uncanny ability to get people organized and always had an unwavering belief in her own ability to get things done.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The suggestion is that the algorithms responsible for animating his uncanny likeness have also managed to bring him back from the dead, reassembling him piece by piece.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of uncanny
Adjective
  • That gives camper travelers the ability to drive cleanly and quietly through city centers, around campgrounds and down deep forest roads.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Nov. 2026
  • In the Soil Grubs and some types of moth larvae may dig in even deeper and overwinter directly in the soil itself.
    — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of deep

Browse Nearby Words

mysteries
mysterious
mysteriousness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mysterious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mysterious. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Nov. 13

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
speech-bubble-untangle
Simplify The Convoluted Expression Quiz A quiz that’s as “uncomplicated as a round de...
See All