variants also enigmatical
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Synonym Chooser

How is the word enigmatic different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of enigmatic are ambiguous, cryptic, dark, equivocal, obscure, and vague. While all these words mean "not clearly understandable," enigmatic stresses a puzzling, mystifying quality.

enigmatic occult writings

When could ambiguous be used to replace enigmatic?

In some situations, the words ambiguous and enigmatic are roughly equivalent. However, ambiguous applies to language capable of more than one interpretation.

an ambiguous directive

When is cryptic a more appropriate choice than enigmatic?

The meanings of cryptic and enigmatic largely overlap; however, cryptic implies a purposely concealed meaning.

cryptic hints of hidden treasure

In what contexts can dark take the place of enigmatic?

While in some cases nearly identical to enigmatic, dark implies an imperfect or clouded revelation often with ominous or sinister suggestion.

muttered dark hints of revenge

When can equivocal be used instead of enigmatic?

Although the words equivocal and enigmatic have much in common, equivocal applies to language left open to differing interpretations with the intention of deceiving or evading.

moral precepts with equivocal phrasing

When would obscure be a good substitute for enigmatic?

The synonyms obscure and enigmatic are sometimes interchangeable, but obscure implies a hiding or veiling of meaning through some inadequacy of expression or withholding of full knowledge.

obscure poems

Where would vague be a reasonable alternative to enigmatic?

The words vague and enigmatic can be used in similar contexts, but vague implies a lack of clear formulation due to inadequate conception or consideration.

a vague sense of obligation

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of enigmatic But her presence rattled her former teammate, who was also not happy with her daughter, Callie (Sarah Desjardins), taking an interest in the enigmatic woman. Stacy Lambe, People.com, 28 Feb. 2025 In trying desperately for a child, middle-aged orchestra conductor Julia (Marie Leuenberger) and her husband Georg (Hans Löw) find themselves at the door of a fancy fertility specialist, the enigmatic Dr. Vilfort (Claes Bang). Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 18 Feb. 2025 Even the Hubble Space Telescope, despite all its might, revealed little about the enigmatic object lurking beyond Neptune — but in 2015, NASA's New Horizons probe gave us our first detailed look at the distant world. John Loeffler, Space.com, 18 Feb. 2025 The actor, who has built a career playing deliciously inscrutable villains, stars as Alfred Moretti, an enigmatic pop icon who, after decades out of the spotlight, re-emerges to announce the release of a new album. Jessica Wang, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for enigmatic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enigmatic
Adjective
  • Despite Shauna trying to blame her for all the mysterious things happening to her in season 3, Melissa says that Shauna is the problem, the real anti-hero, so to speak.
    Stacy Lambe, People.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • In the second episode, Arthur and his queen, Guinevere, are presiding over a feast when it is interrupted by a mysterious visitor, a blind harpist, guided into court by a white dog.
    Alan Yuhas, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The couple even hires a nanny to care for the doll but shortly after her arrival, strange occurrences begin leading them down a dark path.
    Keith Langston, People.com, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Same goes for Lady Gaga and her fire-red McQueen gown, which hit all the right notes of dark romance.
    Christian Allaire, Vogue, 23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • And this looks to have that signature Souls flavor both in terms of combat and cryptic storytelling.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Breakup rumors swirled around the Australian tennis star, 29, and his influencer girlfriend over the weekend after eagle-eyed fans noticed cryptic messaging on their respective social media accounts across Instagram and TikTok.
    Skyler Caruso, People.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • An unlikely ally to Tanner and Luca as tensions rise, but loyalties remain ambiguous.
    Martine Paris, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
  • That would be Mark Rylance as Henry’s lord privy seal, Thomas Cromwell, an endlessly fascinating and ambiguous figure—brilliant, scheming, moral—whom Rylance animates with gravity and kaleidoscopic skill.
    Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Founded on the ethos of art as a form of mystic healing, the label reimagines the family heirloom—and invites its patrons to examine their relationship with objects.
    Nia Shumake, Essence, 3 Feb. 2025
  • Healy Lake members have long considered their dogs to be mystic companions, according to Combs.
    Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 4 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • To those outside of the techno-optimist bubble, plenty of the obsessions of the tech elite (artificial general intelligence, cryptocurrency) can come off as weird or inscrutable.
    Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2025
  • The effect was to view non-European peoples as constitutionally bound by custom, impervious to progress, and inscrutable to the Western mind.
    Zachariah Mampilly, Foreign Affairs, 1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • When breaches do occur, the notifications are often vague or slow to arrive, leaving users unaware of the risks they have been exposed to—and unsure of how to respond effectively.
    Alex Vakulov, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Cooking up breakfast, lunch and dinner miles from the vaguest evidence of human civilization becomes easier than ever before.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Fore one, telescopes have difficulty distinguishing the faint light from a planet from the much brighter light emitted by its host star.
    Victoria Corless, Space.com, 1 Apr. 2025
  • Deeper within the planet, though, the surface might be emanating a faint red, due to incandescence resulting from being baked by its star.
    Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Enigmatic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enigmatic. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

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