1
as in cryptic
being beyond one's powers to know, understand, or explain
the huge stone statues on Easter Island are ancient, mysterious, and haunting
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2
as in ambiguous
having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning
the stranger's mysterious prediction
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Recent Examples of mysterious
Elsewhere in the interview, Ferrell explained why the mysterious line flub happened.
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Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 12 Jan. 2025
When the news first broke in the DRC, Michael Osterholm — director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota — told NPR that this type of mysterious outbreak happens several times a year worldwide.
—Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 31 Dec. 2024
As the two try to piece things together, a mysterious woman walks into the room holding a gun.
—Yasmeen Hamadeh, People.com, 30 Dec. 2024
While many other annual meteor showers are caused by the debris trail of a comet, the origin of the Geminid shower is a little more mysterious.
—Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for mysterious 
Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 12 Jan. 2025
When the news first broke in the DRC, Michael Osterholm — director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota — told NPR that this type of mysterious outbreak happens several times a year worldwide.
—Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 31 Dec. 2024
As the two try to piece things together, a mysterious woman walks into the room holding a gun.
—Yasmeen Hamadeh, People.com, 30 Dec. 2024
While many other annual meteor showers are caused by the debris trail of a comet, the origin of the Geminid shower is a little more mysterious.
—Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for mysterious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mysterious
Adjective
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On Monday, the actor shared a cryptic post on his Instagram about his decision to pass on the role of Neo in the original Matrix with a few interesting questions.Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 6 Jan. 2025
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That leaves open a mystery Smith sparked on Monday with a cryptic Instagram post noting how Smith passed on the starring role of Neo in the original 1999 sci-fi epic The Matrix, directed by Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski.Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Below, Gersten opens up about her reaction to Anderson’s casting, the meaning behind the purposefully ambiguous ending, Curtis’ memorable dance number, and more.Mike Miller, EW.com, 11 Jan. 2025
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When a statute is ambiguous, Congress has left a gap for the agency to fill.Stuart Anderson, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Häagen-Dazs More News: Cowboys' Jerry Jones Set to Bring Back Mike McCarthy as Head Coach Häagen-Dazs, the premium ice cream brand with the pseudo-European name, has joined the Super Bowl ad club for the first time ever and dropped an enigmatic teaser featuring...a Chevy.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
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Echevarría also had turns as the enigmatic British agent Raoul, who doubles as the manager of a Havana cigar factory, in the James Bond film Die Another Day (2002), and as Mexican president Antonio López de Santa Anna in John Lee Hancock’s The Alamo (2004).Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The resultant movie — a dark, gooey masterpiece — would forever alter Carpenter’s fortunes in Hollywood.Matt Brennan, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2025
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The photos illuminate a dark planet scientists are eager to learn more about.Amanda Kooser, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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But there is also the slow minimalism of Morton Feldman and the manic yet patient seeking of Italy’s mystic count Giacinto Scelsi, in the twentieth century.The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2025
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Their science was expansive, allowing room for philosophy and poetry, for a mystic realm that reason cannot reach.Ida Momennejad, New York Times, 20 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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In 2019, creative director Michael Goldberg stumbled upon an obscure website reference to Luna Luna, and spearheaded the effort to resurrect the art-adventure park, enlisting Canadian rapper, singer, and actor Drake, who invested $100 million with his entertainment company, DreamCrew.Natasha Gural, Forbes, 12 Jan. 2025
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In between catchy dances and obscure trends, TikTok has become a life-changing platform for many.Sara Belcher, People.com, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The uncanny resilience of U.S. power lies in its structural strengths.Michael Beckley, Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2025
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While soon-to-be-superstar Patrick Mahomes was spending 2017 as an apprentice behind Alex Smith, another quarterback phenom was dazzling the NFL with his exceptional arm and uncanny ability to improvise and extend plays.Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 2 Jan. 2025
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And while the postseason debuts of their predecessors suggest deep playoff runs are unlikely, Daniels and Nix have already demonstrated their abilities to defy the odds.Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 10 Jan. 2025
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Popular on Variety As with a few recent documentaries featuring animals, a great deal of the film’s wonder comes by way of the human-animal interface: here, the brief and deep relationship of Masear to her wards and those who find them.Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 10 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near mysterious
Cite this Entry
“Mysterious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mysterious. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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