1
as in mysterious
being beyond one's powers to know, understand, or explain
the occult ways in which the human mind works
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2
as in ambiguous
having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning
an occult reference in the text that has puzzled scholars ever since
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3
as in magic
having seemingly supernatural qualities or powers
Great Britain's Stonehenge is one of those occult places where people expect something of cosmic significance to happen
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as in to obscure
to keep secret or shut off from view
occulted their house from prying eyes by planting large trees around it the actor's private life had long been occulted by a contrived public persona
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of occult
Dennis Harvey, Variety, 22 Jan. 2023
Other screening options include annual fecal occult blood tests which look for blood in the stool.
—Janelle Chavez, CNN, 19 Jan. 2023
Phil Plait, Scientific American, 9 Jan. 2025
Object Of The Week: The Pleiades This week, the moon will occult the Pleiades, the closest open cluster of stars to the solar system and a spectacular sight with both the naked eye and through binoculars.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for occult 
Adjective
It’s a determinedly non-jokey supernatural thriller in which a group of Adelaide teens get in way over their heads playing an occult party game.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 22 Jan. 2023
Other screening options include annual fecal occult blood tests which look for blood in the stool.
—Janelle Chavez, CNN, 19 Jan. 2023
Verb
January 13: In the early evening the full moon will occult—pass directly in front of—the planet Mars, eclipsing it.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 9 Jan. 2025
Object Of The Week: The Pleiades This week, the moon will occult the Pleiades, the closest open cluster of stars to the solar system and a spectacular sight with both the naked eye and through binoculars.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for occult
Recent Examples of Synonyms for occult
Adjective
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The groundbreaking find, the researchers claim, could reshape our understanding of the universe and its most powerful and mysterious signals.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA TODAY,
27 Jan. 2025
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Several years later, Hoffa disappeared under mysterious circumstances and was never seen again.—
David Wharton,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The forensic evidence might have been ambiguous, but Barnhorst said one thing seemed clear.—
Ariane Lange,
Sacramento Bee,
26 Jan. 2025
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Near the end of the film, a few distinctly uncomfortable scenes steer us toward a heavier, more ambiguous tone.—
Sadie Collins,
Them,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Editor's Tip Just don’t forget to reserve some pasta water, because that’s the magic ingredient that brings the whole dish together.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
25 Jan. 2025
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The magic man at this time of year, for the past several years, has been him.—
Mike Lupica,
New York Daily News,
25 Jan. 2025
Verb
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This lava blankets the valley floor, walls, and much of the surrounding plains, obscuring older geological features and complicating efforts to date and understand the processes that shaped this enigmatic Martian landscape.—
Victoria Corless,
Space.com,
24 Jan. 2025
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After its investigators were attacked by protesters later on Saturday, the anti-corruption agency asked media companies to obscure the faces of its members attending the hearing.—
Kim Tong-Hyung,
The Christian Science Monitor,
19 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Then, a hacker breaks in, posts a cryptic message, and triggers Wentworth's expanding investigation into a global struggle over truth and information.—
Eric Berger,
Ars Technica,
16 Jan. 2025
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Both Trista and Ryan were in the news over the summer after Ryan posted cryptic messages on his Instagram account.—
Sara Vallone,
Miami Herald,
16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Healy Lake members have long considered their dogs to be mystic companions, according to Combs.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
4 Dec. 2024
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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
Adjective
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Set in New York City with a magical sixth borough, the Unsleeping City party had to battle monsters that crossed over from other D20 campaigns.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
26 Jan. 2025
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This is why Venusian themes (love, beauty, creativity, pleasure and relationships) tend to feel magical and otherworldly during this time.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
26 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The Nazis wanted to conceal the crime by burning the bodies on mass pyres.—
Gal Beckerman,
The Atlantic,
22 Jan. 2025
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On a second trip to the same area in July, researchers found the species concealed among the leaf litter layer making no noise.—
Lauren Liebhaber,
Miami Herald,
21 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near occult
Cite this Entry
“Occult.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occult. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
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