as in esoteric
difficult for one of ordinary knowledge or intelligence to understand
you're not the only one who finds Einstein's theory of relativity abstruse
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Recent Examples of abstruse
But the turn feels less absurd than abstruse, sudden even, given the film’s prior resistance to laugh at itself.
—
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 2025
Kamala Harris’ penchant for strings of abstruse verbiage — popularly known as word salads — was one of several reasons her presidential campaign failed last year.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2025
Also, his estimate arose from abstruse economic formulas and lots of magic asterisks.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2025
Into Breaking Its Own Rules To emphasize the importance of math, Winkler displayed a handful of abstruse equations.
—Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for abstruse
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 2025
Kamala Harris’ penchant for strings of abstruse verbiage — popularly known as word salads — was one of several reasons her presidential campaign failed last year.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2025
Also, his estimate arose from abstruse economic formulas and lots of magic asterisks.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2025
Into Breaking Its Own Rules To emphasize the importance of math, Winkler displayed a handful of abstruse equations.
—Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for abstruse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abstruse
Adjective
-
Such a fracture would normally sink a band, especially one that had been active for a decade, with five ambitious, esoteric albums to their credit and a solid, but perhaps not growing, fan base.—
Reed Jackson,
SPIN,
12 June 2026
-
Sounds kind of esoteric, but actually a lot of fundamental discoveries were made from that system that ended up relating to things like how human chromosomes go awry and give rise to cancer.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
The event featured a panel discussion with six original members of the Freedom House staff, which had a profound effect on those in attendance.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
-
The next fifty years will bring equally profound changes.—
Kris Putnam-Walkerly,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abstruse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abstruse. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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