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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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
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Recent Examples of occult
Hank Shteamer, SPIN, 24 Jan. 2023
It’s a determinedly non-jokey supernatural thriller in which a group of Adelaide teens get in way over their heads playing an occult party game.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 22 Jan. 2023
Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
April 25: The moon will occult Regulus again at approximately 8:30 P.M. (depending on your location), though this time it will be best viewed from sites east of the Mississippi, where the pair will be higher in the sky.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for occult
Adjective
Speaking of infernal-sounding, pay close attention around the 4:30 mark here, and witness the occult-metal mastery of Mercyful Fate riffsmith Hank Shermann, abetted by his trusty partner Michael Denner.
—Hank Shteamer, SPIN, 24 Jan. 2023
It’s a determinedly non-jokey supernatural thriller in which a group of Adelaide teens get in way over their heads playing an occult party game.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 22 Jan. 2023
Verb
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
April 25: The moon will occult Regulus again at approximately 8:30 P.M. (depending on your location), though this time it will be best viewed from sites east of the Mississippi, where the pair will be higher in the sky.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for occult
Recent Examples of Synonyms for occult
Adjective
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The flyby lasted seven hours, during which the astronauts could enjoy views of the lunar surface previously unseen by human eyes, with about 21% of the moon’s mysterious far side illuminated by the sun from the crew’s perspective.—
Jacopo Prisco,
CNN Money,
7 Apr. 2026
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This April, readers have plenty of new books to look forward to, including a metafictional exploration of memory, a look at the effects of family vlogging and a mysterious depiction of gentrification in Brooklyn.—
Theara Coleman,
TheWeek,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Obliterated it, which is not an ambiguous term.—
Brian Dakss,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
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Samuel Dic Sum Lai, a PhD candidate at the University of London, has dedicated his studies to chronicling the ambiguous history and culture of these restaurants.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Now, though, with the widespread circulation of magic manuals, grimoires, and related compendia—with the recording, on paper, of words, spells, histories, stories—witchcraft has taken an irreversible step into the exoteric realm.—
Kristen Roupenian,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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The Avs, by winning this game in regulation, reduced their magic number to win the Central Division and the top seed in the Western Conference to two points earned or two lost by the Stars.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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What went into the decision to obscure the identities of Sam’s underage victims without outright blurring their faces?—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
6 Apr. 2026
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Both of these ballets feature dancers wearing stiff, geometrically inspired costumes that obscure their bodies and constrain their movements.—
Shanti Escalante-De Mattei,
ARTnews.com,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Investigators later linked the device to materials recovered from Zheng’s home and a burner phone used to place a cryptic 911 call warning about the bomb.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
3 Apr. 2026
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The news arrives after months of Rodrigo teasing new music, most recently a cryptic hotline message that alluded to this year’s pink moon, which occurred on April 2.—
Angie Martoccio,
Rolling Stone,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The mystic chords that bind us together matter more than any policy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Mar. 2026
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Operating within those parameters, the mystic outlands trend extends to some of the world’s most mesmerizing corners.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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And we’re all left a little breathless, looking around at each other, as though something magical has occurred.—
Amy Silverberg,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
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Between airline meals, charming flight attendants (played by Ella Bleu and Olga Hoffmann), unexpected stopovers, larger-than-life passengers, and a thrilling glimpse at first class, the journey unfolds in moments both magical and unexpected, charting the course for the boy's future.—
Kirsty Hatcher,
PEOPLE,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Daisy struggles to conceal her emotions, having been able to express them freely in Canada.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
7 Apr. 2026
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Cargo planes flew in three small helicopters and assembled them near the patch of mountains where the missing airman was concealing himself inside a cave or crevice.—
Jonathan J. Cooper,
Fortune,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Occult.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occult. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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