mysterious
adjective
mys·te·ri·ous
mi-ˈstir-ē-əs 
1
a
: of, relating to, or constituting mystery
the mysterious ways of God
b
: exciting wonder, curiosity, or surprise while baffling efforts to comprehend or identify : mystifying
heard a mysterious noise
a mysterious stranger
a mysterious plane crash
a mysterious illness
2
: stirred by or attracted to the inexplicable
… to help a mysterious wizard … ward off the end of the world with blood sacrifices.—
Robert Houston
Robert Houston
mysteriousness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of mysterious in a Sentence
the mysterious ways of nature
We heard a mysterious noise outside our tent.
He died under mysterious circumstances.
A mysterious illness has been spreading through the city.
There's something mysterious about that old woman.
Her behavior was very mysterious.
Recent Examples on the Web
The Wright-Patterson activity comes amid a string of mysterious drone sightings, primarily in the Northeast, that have been raising alarms among residents and local officials alike.
—Brad Lendon, CNN, 16 Dec. 2024
Fantasia’s post was a lengthy summary of a legislative meeting with the Department of Homeland Security about the mysterious sightings.
—Stephen Pastis, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
Heinrich, who was filling in for host Shannon Bream, suggested that the mysterious drone situation could possibly be like when the Japanese spied on the U.S. before launching a surprise attack on the Pearl Harbor naval base near Honolulu on December 7, 1941.
—Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
President-elect Donald Trump said U.S. government officials, including President Joe Biden, know where the mysterious drone sightings along the East Coast are coming and going from, accusing the leaders without evidence of intentionally keeping those details from the public.
—Francesca Chambers, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for mysterious 
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Brad Lendon, CNN, 16 Dec. 2024
Fantasia’s post was a lengthy summary of a legislative meeting with the Department of Homeland Security about the mysterious sightings.
—Stephen Pastis, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
Heinrich, who was filling in for host Shannon Bream, suggested that the mysterious drone situation could possibly be like when the Japanese spied on the U.S. before launching a surprise attack on the Pearl Harbor naval base near Honolulu on December 7, 1941.
—Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
President-elect Donald Trump said U.S. government officials, including President Joe Biden, know where the mysterious drone sightings along the East Coast are coming and going from, accusing the leaders without evidence of intentionally keeping those details from the public.
—Francesca Chambers, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for mysterious
Dictionary Entries Near mysterious
Cite this Entry
“Mysterious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mysterious. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mysterious
adjective
mys·te·ri·ous
mis-ˈtir-ē-əs
: containing, suggesting, or presenting a mystery
mysterious noises
also
: difficult or impossible to understand
the mysterious ways of nature
mysteriously
adverb
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