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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Tell us which creepy, kooky, mysterious, spooky and altogether ooky anthem is your favorite to listen to during Halloween time — or at any point in the year — by voting in the poll below.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
30 Oct. 2025
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As the unloved surviving son of a cruel father, he was approached by a wizard who offered him gold to secretly feed a mysterious hedgehog-faced monster in a cave.—
Scott Meslow,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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With stunning celerity, possibility becomes probability and then certainty, as readers reject the quiet, circuitous, and unglamorous narratives of prudential compromise, ambiguous diplomacy, or incremental progress.—
Elizabeth D. Samet,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Oct. 2025
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Ibsen’s choice to use Hedda’s maiden name for the play speaks to her resistance to the strong presence of men in her life; DaCosta’s choice to remove the surname entirely speaks to a rejection of patriarchal identity, replaced with an ambiguous void that Hedda herself doesn’t know how to fill.—
Rory Doherty,
Time,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Those four magic words mark the end of work stress and the start of a cozy, enjoyable retirement.—
Tanasia Kenney,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Nov. 2025
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To me, that just feels like a magic trick.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Also, be sure to check local weather forecasts, because even the slightest cloud could easily obscure the northern lights.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
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The seafloor had once been obscured beneath a thick ice shelf, but that changed in July 2017 when the massive A68 iceberg calved from the Larsen C Ice Shelf.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Welch announced their album Everybody Scream back in August, following a few cryptic teasers.—
Tomás Mier,
Rolling Stone,
24 Oct. 2025
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This led many fans to believe that online discussions and interviews referencing his expiring contract were part of an elaborate storyline, given Kross's cryptic persona.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 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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Although Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy reprised their roles as the magical trio for the 2022 sequel, Birch, Katz and Shaw were not present for the onscreen reunion.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
25 Oct. 2025
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Enjoying a swimming hole in the summer is a prime Vermont pastime, but the state's waterways are just as magical in the colder months.—
Megan Margulies,
Travel + Leisure,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Most settlements include confidentiality clauses that not only conceal the settlement figure, but also bar anyone involved from publicly discussing it.—
Victoria Bekiempis,
Rolling Stone,
3 Nov. 2025
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What, then, would West have made of Nat’s body, even concealed under a halter top?—
James Marcus,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Occult.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occult. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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