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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Things are shaken up when a mysterious figure (Lee Pace) arrives in the sisters' quaint New England town with a new quest for them.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
15 Apr. 2026
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Adding to her woes, her Moroccan Jewish grandmother has just passed away, leaving her with only a family ring with mysterious powers.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Bieber has had clashes with the paparazzi, and has sent ambiguous messages over social media hinting at his sorrow.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2026
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While data centers represent tangible ways in which AI is changing our lives, the more abstract and ambiguous fears are coming to a boil, as well.—
Lorena O’Neil,
Rolling Stone,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Jordan Clarkson calls it magic.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
19 Apr. 2026
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The broth the flautas are served in is magic, sipped straight from the bowl.—
USA TODAY NETWORK,
USA Today,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Maritime tracking isn't foolproof, as ships can spoof or manipulate tracking systems to obscure their origin, destination and cargo.—
Steve Beynon,
ABC News,
13 Apr. 2026
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At the same time, Iran has become adapt at using chains of digital wallets to obscure crypto funds tied to the regime.—
Ben Weiss,
Fortune,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Simultaneously, the solo careers of fellow Pornographers Neko Case and Dan Bejar had begun to take flight—Case as maybe the greatest country torch singer of her generation, and Bejar in his cryptic Leonard Cohen-adjacent auteur mode as Destroyer.—
Elizabeth Nelson,
Pitchfork,
8 Apr. 2026
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There’s a mysterious new leader of EON (ExtraOrdinary Observation and Neutralization), according to a cryptic summary.—
Entertainment Weekly,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 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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As production started in earnest, the team behind the film said their film will blend the spirit of a road movie with the magical language characteristic of Coelho’s work.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
16 Apr. 2026
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The Queens County Farm Museum’s annual Apple Blossom Carnival in April is magical.—
The Editors,
Curbed,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Corey Elliott concealed his face leaving federal court in Boston on Tuesday after he was arrested on dogfighting charges.—
Juli McDonald,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
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The Army’s policy at the time of the crash mandated that its helicopters fly without that system on to conceal their locations, although the helicopter involved in this crash was on a training flight, not a sensitive mission.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Occult.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occult. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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