occult 1 of 2

adjective

ə-ˈkəlt How to pronounce occult (audio)
Definition of occultnext
1
as in mysterious
being beyond one's powers to know, understand, or explain the occult ways in which the human mind works

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2
as in ambiguous
having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning an occult reference in the text that has puzzled scholars ever since

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3
as in magic
having seemingly supernatural qualities or powers Great Britain's Stonehenge is one of those occult places where people expect something of cosmic significance to happen

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occult

2 of 2

verb

ə-ˈkəlt How to pronounce occult (audio)
as in to obscure
to keep secret or shut off from view occulted their house from prying eyes by planting large trees around it the actor's private life had long been occulted by a contrived public persona

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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 occult
Adjective
While series like zombie horror All of Us Are Dead or monster drama Sweet Home have found massive success, there has yet to be an occult K-drama that truly breaks through. — Kayti Burt, Time, 24 Apr. 2026 There, a new school of artists, thinkers and card readers began to see tarot as infused with a deep, occult significance. — Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 25 Aug. 2025
Verb
In fact, the speedy planet is occulted (hidden) by the sun's disk, but of course, this event is unobservable. — Joe Rao, Space.com, 2 May 2026 When To See The ‘snow Moon’ Occult Regulus Just a day after the full wolf supermoon, the near-full moon will occult Regulus for about an hour, as seen from the eastern half of North America. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for occult
Recent Examples of Synonyms for occult
  1. mysterious
  2. ambiguous
  3. magic
  4. obscure
  5. cryptic
  6. mystic
  7. magical
  8. conceal
Adjective
  • In Season 1, the mysterious deep-space research vessel USCSS Maginot, which crash-lands on Earth.
    — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 9 July 2026
  • And Miles starts to notice a mysterious woman in not just one of his photos.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 9 July 2026
Definition of mysterious
Adjective
  • As for the ambiguous finale, Hall and Bravo have similar, but slightly different views on it.
    — Reshma Gopaldas, IndieWire, 9 July 2026
  • Much of what couples experience as conflict is, on closer inspection, a disagreement about which interpretation of an ambiguous event is the correct one, and that disagreement is rarely settled by appeals to trust.
    — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of ambiguous
Adjective
  • On the pitching front, there is no magic answer for succeeding at Coors Field, but the way the Rockies’ front office identifies and selects pitchers will be equally interesting this weekend.
    — Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 9 July 2026
  • The evening will include a magic show, a balloon twister and the district’s climbing tree, according to an electronic newsletter.
    — Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026
Definition of magic
Verb
  • While institutional incentives aren't wrong, portraying them solely as student benefits obscures a critical reality.
    — Scott White, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
  • Crews have been seen unloading equipment from trucks this week — much of it covered or obscured — and barricades have been placed near the perimeter of the arena.
    — Meriam Bouarrouj, NBC news, 4 July 2026
Definition of obscure
Adjective
  • It was filled with brackets and parentheticals, written in different fonts and colors, much of it in capital letters, at once detailed and cryptic.
    — Joaquin Sapien, ProPublica, 30 June 2026
  • His doctors speculated his infection might have been a rare case of cryptic transmission from sharing meals and bathrooms with his coworkers, one of whom apparently had a tapeworm infection.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 26 June 2026
Definition of cryptic
Adjective
  • His guru, Ramakrishna, was a 19th-century mystic and spiritual teacher in Bengal whose teachings on the unity underlying all religions shaped the worldview Vivekananda would go on to spread globally.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 4 July 2026
  • In Mozart’s opera, Tamino, a prince in a fairyland of mystic temples and mystifying gods, relies on his supernatural flute that turn sorrow into joy to get him out of jams.
    — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2026
Definition of mystic
Adjective
  • The jokes about a modern couple trapped in a magical town stuck more than 200 years in the past hit the mark with just the right amount of bawdy fun.
    — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
  • That bit is magical and a joy to watch but the way that Messi shifts the ball and shoots at the end of that dribble is brilliant, too.
    — Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 10 July 2026
Definition of magical
Verb
  • Two members of the White supremacist group, whose identities are concealed through masks, sunglasses and baseball caps, are seated in front of her, while numerous others are seated behind or standing alongside her.
    — BrieAnna J. Frank, USA Today, 8 July 2026
  • Dugan was accused of obstructing official Department of Homeland Security removal proceedings and knowingly concealing an undocumented man from immigration authorities at a courthouse in April 2025 while serving as a Milwaukee County Circuit judge.
    — Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 8 July 2026
Definition of conceal

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occult
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Cite this Entry

“Occult.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occult. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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