1
as in esoteric
difficult for one of ordinary knowledge or intelligence to understand
grammatical rules that seem arcane to generations of students who were never taught grammar in the first place
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Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cryptic
having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning
the rebate form uses arcane language, the only purpose of which seems to be to disqualify buyers from actually getting a rebate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in mysterious
being beyond one's powers to know, understand, or explain
my predecessor in this job obviously had his own arcane system for filing things, and so I haven't a clue as to where anything is
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of arcane
Purpose trusts have been around for decades as part of the arcane laws governing how estates are managed.
—
Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
As the lesson droned on, the huge, inevitable poster on the classroom wall gave the students something arcane to look at and study as an alternative to dozing off and getting a tongue-lashing and possibly a piece of chalk tossed at your head.
—David Szondy
august 27, New Atlas, 27 Aug. 2025
Because of an arcane league rule, Smith was not permitted to take the Heat’s one available two-way contract.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 Aug. 2025
Every chapter is loaded with arcane information delivered in an engaging style.
—Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for arcane
Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
As the lesson droned on, the huge, inevitable poster on the classroom wall gave the students something arcane to look at and study as an alternative to dozing off and getting a tongue-lashing and possibly a piece of chalk tossed at your head.
—David Szondy
august 27, New Atlas, 27 Aug. 2025
Because of an arcane league rule, Smith was not permitted to take the Heat’s one available two-way contract.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 Aug. 2025
Every chapter is loaded with arcane information delivered in an engaging style.
—Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for arcane
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arcane
Adjective
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While crypto trading has a steep learning curve, anyone with a wallet can start trading predictions without any esoteric expertise.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Unfortunately, tenure, even in the best schools, gets rewarded to professors who write articles filled with complex math or esoteric theories in sociology and psychology.—
Shivaram Rajgopal,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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While filming season 3 of Special Forces, Bachelorette alum Trista Sutter's husband, Ryan Sutter, shared a cryptic Instagram post about her being gone, which sparked speculation about their relationship status.—
Jordana Comiter,
PEOPLE,
25 Sep. 2025
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At some point, though, meaning that is sufficiently cryptic becomes indistinguishable from no meaning at all.—
Kathryn Schulz,
New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Written and directed by Australian filmmaker Michael Shanks, the movie tells the story of a couple, played by American actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco, who move to the countryside to save their relationship and encounter a mysterious force that draws them closer.—
Peter Guo,
NBC news,
25 Sep. 2025
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As the rest of America adjusts to Homelander's iron fist, back at Godolkin University, the mysterious new Dean preaches a curriculum that promises to make students more powerful than ever.—
Billie Melissa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Across Jamaica, resorts are embracing bolder design, elevated local cuisine, and a more profound sense of place.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
27 Sep. 2025
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My friendship and partnership with Graham has been profound and certainly one of the most enjoyable relationships of my life.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Total repatriations When examining total repatriations — people returned to their country of origin — a more ambiguous picture emerges.—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
25 Sep. 2025
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Whereas many tech deals are conducted in equity of ambiguous value, this one was done in cold, hard cash, though the product itself is by no means a sure bet.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In Completedworks’ spring 2026 presentation, the Texan actor and model took the stage as Miss Edie Grey, a television clairvoyant and mystic extraordinaire that can trace the history of objects with her magical touch.—
Hikmat Mohammed,
Footwear News,
20 Sep. 2025
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Yet Blanc’s real faith lies in the nearly mystic quality involved in seeing what the human animal is capable of.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The agency said the company relied on confusing interfaces and obscure disclosures.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Sep. 2025
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But overall, the popularity of different computer languages could become as obscure a topic as the relative popularity of railway track gauges.—
Stephen Cass,
IEEE Spectrum,
23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Joanna Gaines has an uncanny ability to make anything beautiful.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
PEOPLE,
25 Sep. 2025
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Contortionism has been a fundamental cultural expression in Mongolia since the 12th century, and in this work Khuyagaa intertwines a celebration of this heritage with her interest in the female body, beauty, and the uncanny.—
Caterina De Biasio,
Vogue,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Arcane.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arcane. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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