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 novel is built around an encounter between the mysterious title character and a music hall aficionado in London in 1938, the year before World War II.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 June 2026
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In actuality, its premise falls closer to Apple’s Palm Royale or the 2010s ABC drama Revenge, following a mysterious outsider trying to gain a foothold among the elite.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
Adjective
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As the noise-rap-electro act Jane Remover shrieked and pleaded through a 90-minute marathon set at the Fonda on Thursday night, one very young couple dressed right out of a conservative‘s nightmare — gender-ambiguous, purple hair, facial piercings — tapped me on the shoulder.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
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At a billion scans a month, even modest rates imply hundreds of millions of ambiguous results a year, each one demanding a clinical decision and producing a worried customer.—
Gabriel Alin Zainescu,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Adjective
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That air should be JR’s vital collaborator — no complex and costly scaffolding for these magic mountains — is nothing new in Paris.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
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After a six-year closure (alongside the larger hotel closure), locals are thrilled to see that their beloved spot is back and better than ever (Fulk wisely left all that was magic alone and gave the space a light glow-up).—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
19 June 2026
Verb
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The only question now is how much of the public's time and money the Mayor is willing to waste to obscure the numerous poor decisions her administration and the County have made for decades.—
Manuel Bojorquez,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
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While many parts of Android 17 will be ignored or obscured when the OS expands beyond Google phones, the new security and safety features will be nearly universal.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
16 June 2026
Adjective
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Bunnie Xo has shared a cryptic video on social media after news of her split from Jelly Roll surfaced.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
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Jelly Roll is clarifying a cryptic post that's going viral amid his divorce from Bunnie Xo.—
Leigh Blickley,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 June 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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In Foster the Snowman, a couple without kids take an accelerated journey through every parenting milestone when they’re forced to adopt an adorable snowman whose whole magical life will play out in just 72 hours.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
18 June 2026
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The film’s popularity has tripled business for the mystical shop and apothecary, which offers a wide range of services including magical advice, custom spell crafting, psychic readings, healing sessions, classes, clergy services, drum circles and vision quests.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
18 June 2026
Verb
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She was found under the bed, wrapped in a blanket and concealed by life vests.—
Tim Stelloh,
NBC news,
16 June 2026
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My dream foundation is one that conceals blemishes but is so imperceptible that people will ask me about my skin care routine.—
Kaelin Dodge,
InStyle,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Occult.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occult. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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