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
Joe Rao, Space.com, 8 Oct. 2025
From Korea alone, seven new projects spanning coming-of-age dramas to occult horror are seeking international co-production opportunities.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 Sep. 2025
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
Of course, many other (fainter) stars will also be occulted during the moon's passage through the cluster.
—Joe Rao, Space.com, 8 Oct. 2025
From Korea alone, seven new projects spanning coming-of-age dramas to occult horror are seeking international co-production opportunities.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for occult
Recent Examples of Synonyms for occult
Adjective
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Not to mention the titular bugs, a swarm of blood-invading creatures discovered by her new lover, the mysterious drifter Peter Evans (Namir Smallwood).—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Jan. 2026
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The Columbus, Ohio, police chief is speaking out for the first time since the mysterious murders of dentist Spencer Tepe and his wife, Monique Tepe.—
Emily Shapiro,
ABC News,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Even in agencies that have, some policies are weak or ambiguous.—
Ben Jones,
Fortune,
9 Jan. 2026
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Even in agencies that have, some policies are weak or ambiguous.—
Ben Jones,
The Conversation,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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And then this magic area of just knowing how to communicate it and connect with players.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Jan. 2026
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This was the year Kansas City lost its magic pixie dust … while ultimately scuffling to a 6-11 finish.—
Jesse Newell,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This International Dark Sky Park, located in southwest Texas, is about a six-hour drive from San Antonio, the nearest city, so there won't be much light pollution obscuring your views of the constellations.—
Elizabeth Rhodes,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
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Medical issues and money woes can create a fog of anxiety that obscures the path forward.—
Eric Thomas,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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In recent weeks, fans expressed concern after Spears posted dancing videos but opted to turn off comments on posts that had cryptic captions about her kids, Jayden James, 19, and Sean Preston, 20.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
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Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones dropped a cryptic hint that a blockbuster trade was coming, and after the team acquired linebacker Logan Wilson from the Cincinnati Bengals, many fans and analysts criticized Jones for overdelivering.—
Michael Gallagher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Helena, meanwhile, was supposedly a mystic receiving directions from spiritual masters hidden in the Himalayas.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
24 Oct. 2025
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This was the danger Madison considered — that mystic memory would falsely elevate the Constitution.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Set on Christmas Eve, this adaptation of Chris Van Allsburg's beloved 1985 children's book follows a young boy whose waning belief in Santa Claus is reinvigorated after hopping on a magical train to the North Pole.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Nov. 2025
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Now, even some areas of the magical Okavango Delta have become busy.—
Elizabeth Gordon,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The actress became pregnant with their first child while filming season 3 of The Rookie, and instead of strategically concealing her pregnancy to play Angela, creator Alexi Hawley simply wrote it into Diaz's character's storyline.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
7 Jan. 2026
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Her go-to is the Madison Reed Radiant Hair Color Kit, a $35 at-home hair color box that conceals 100 percent of stubborn grays and enhances shine.—
Reece Andavolgyi,
InStyle,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Occult.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occult. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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