as in mysteries
something hard to understand or explain
his motives for starting an argument with the coach were a complete riddle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in drills
to make a hole or series of holes in
several signs along the highway were riddled by buckshot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in suffuses
to spread throughout
the newspaper exposé revealed a gaming commission that is riddled with corruption
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of riddles
New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
For now, Anteotokounmpo, 31, remains coy, his words wrapped in riddles and his intentions couched in caveats, even as ESPN continues to report that a trade (somewhere) is viewed as inevitable and even as the two-time MVP insists that a trade is not his decision.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026
LeetCode is a training platform for the kind of algorithmic riddles that usually crop up in interviews for big tech companies.
—Sam Kriss, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
All types of lanterns are lighted throughout the streets, and poems and riddles are often written for entertainment.
—Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 15 Feb. 2026
The resulting footage was only discovered by the Cinémathèque in 2023; now edited together into a cohesive work, this invaluable and sui generis artifact finds one master filmmaker engaging with and taking in thewisdom, riddles, and pronouncements of another.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 20 Jan. 2026
Neighbors put their own spin on the game, dressing up Frank in accessories, and posting riddles and clues to their local Facebook group to give hints on Frank's whereabouts.
—CBS News, 21 Dec. 2025
The answer to nature’s greatest riddles are written upon the Universe itself.
—Big Think, 1 Dec. 2025
Play the role of a detective and complete riddles, puzzles, and brain teasers to solve the mystery by Christmas Eve.
—Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 16 Nov. 2025
Steven R. Furlanetto, Twin Cities, 17 Aug. 2025
Noun
How imagination works, how influence unfolds, how history rhymes — these remain riddles.
—New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
For now, Anteotokounmpo, 31, remains coy, his words wrapped in riddles and his intentions couched in caveats, even as ESPN continues to report that a trade (somewhere) is viewed as inevitable and even as the two-time MVP insists that a trade is not his decision.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026
LeetCode is a training platform for the kind of algorithmic riddles that usually crop up in interviews for big tech companies.
—Sam Kriss, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
All types of lanterns are lighted throughout the streets, and poems and riddles are often written for entertainment.
—Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 15 Feb. 2026
The resulting footage was only discovered by the Cinémathèque in 2023; now edited together into a cohesive work, this invaluable and sui generis artifact finds one master filmmaker engaging with and taking in thewisdom, riddles, and pronouncements of another.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 20 Jan. 2026
Neighbors put their own spin on the game, dressing up Frank in accessories, and posting riddles and clues to their local Facebook group to give hints on Frank's whereabouts.
—CBS News, 21 Dec. 2025
The answer to nature’s greatest riddles are written upon the Universe itself.
—Big Think, 1 Dec. 2025
Play the role of a detective and complete riddles, puzzles, and brain teasers to solve the mystery by Christmas Eve.
—Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 16 Nov. 2025
Verb
Any trip to the dark night skies of our Southern California deserts reveals a vista full of wonder and mystery — riddles that astrophysicists like myself spend our days unraveling.
—Steven R. Furlanetto, Twin Cities, 17 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riddles
Noun
-
Although these practical applications are still on the horizon, the study highlights how physics can explore the natural world to solve long-standing mysteries.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
4 May 2026
-
The Hallmark Channel series is traveling back to 1920s Port Haven during its upcoming fourth and final season, as mysteries are unearthed and lingering questions about the past find a way to haunt the present-day Landry clan.—
Alex Gurley,
PEOPLE,
3 May 2026
Verb
-
The nonprofit drills wells to provide clean water.—
Michael Abeyta,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
-
For kids, there will be a mobile video game truck, skills and drills stations, inflatables, balloon and caricature artist and a face painter.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
The soft natural light suffuses the red clay brick room, centered around long communal tables, introducing an intimate ease that invites you to linger.—
Anais Martinez,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Well, that and quantum teleportation, which is the reason that quantum entanglement suffuses this entire field to this day.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
-
Apple works at this vertiginous juncture where Emily Dickinson goes rumbling into Etta James and, lately, Beyoncé; where Nico solves puzzles with Randy Newman, Kurt Weill, Nina Simone and the Beatles.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The flight attendants then attempted to solve the problem by shoving napkins inside the ceiling holes.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
2 May 2026
-
Mirroring the 3-star wig cap structure, this wig featured three combs (left-side, right-side, nape), a drawstring, wig band insertion holes, and a 13×4 lace.—
Noel Cymone Walker,
StyleCaster,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
After sauce has cooked, submerge meatballs and cook on high for 1 hour to ensure that the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce penetrates every crevice of the hearty meat dish.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
1 May 2026
-
For most mammals, water quickly penetrates wet fur and directly contacts the skin, eliminating the coat’s key benefit.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Bob Gray is one of the big enigmas in the book that are intentionally put there to create tension and are never solved.—
Scott Huver,
Deadline,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Toss in plenty of brutal murders, bizarre prophecies, time-bending enigmas, and haunting hallucinations — all seemingly tied to Lucy’s mysterious meetings with the Hannibal Lecter-like Gideon Shepherd (Peter Capaldi) — and this one's well worth losing six hours of sleep over.—
Matt Cabral,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Lockwood’s music instills joy in listening, and such revitalized desire leaves your body freshly tender, sensitive to whatever pierces the ear.—
Joshua Minsoo Kim,
Pitchfork,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Its 1959 Googie-style sign pierces the sky, a beacon of hope for weary road-trippers cruising this achingly lonely stretch of highway.—
Zoey Goto,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Riddles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riddles. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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