as in mystery
something hard to understand or explain
his motives for starting an argument with the coach were a complete riddle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to drill
to make a hole or series of holes in
several signs along the highway were riddled by buckshot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to penetrate
to spread throughout
the newspaper exposé revealed a gaming commission that is riddled with corruption
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 riddle
Susan Tallman, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2025
But the fragments pose new mysteries as well, including riddles contained in the enigmatic runic markings, which are proving difficult to translate, as well as surprising clues as to the identities of the carvers themselves.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 22 Feb. 2025
Rob Tanner, The Athletic, 21 Mar. 2025
Their exonerations in 2008 marked the first high-profile cases in which the testimonies of Hayne and West were found by the courts to be riddled with errors and, in some instances, completely fabricated.
—Richard A. Webster, ProPublica, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for riddle
Noun
And yet, there is something gripping about his struggle, year after year, to solve the riddle of art.
—Susan Tallman, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2025
But the fragments pose new mysteries as well, including riddles contained in the enigmatic runic markings, which are proving difficult to translate, as well as surprising clues as to the identities of the carvers themselves.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 22 Feb. 2025
Verb
And yet 10 years ago, Worthing FC, riddled with debt, appeared to have a bleak future.
—Rob Tanner, The Athletic, 21 Mar. 2025
Their exonerations in 2008 marked the first high-profile cases in which the testimonies of Hayne and West were found by the courts to be riddled with errors and, in some instances, completely fabricated.
—Richard A. Webster, ProPublica, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for riddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riddle
Noun
-
Over the next six years, the telescope will capture images of more than 1.5 billion galaxies and reveal even more mysteries about the universe.—
Sara Hashemi,
Smithsonian Magazine,
19 Mar. 2025
-
One of the greatest mysteries facing humanity is how the activation or firing of our neurons relates to our ability to think and somehow gives rise to a sense of sentience and consciousness.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The department is also drilling and grouting to stabilize eastbound I-80.—
Saleen Martin,
USA TODAY,
21 Mar. 2025
-
The observations draw sharp contrast to previous studies of ecology below the ice, which either dropped cameras down through holes drilled in the ice or took place years after an iceberg calved.—
Ashley Balzer Vigil,
Scientific American,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The therapy uses a combination of lasers and light treatments to penetrate the skin based on the severity of the acne.—
Susan Bard,
Verywell Health,
28 Mar. 2025
-
The Atlantic has managed to uniquely penetrate the social zeitgeist with just plain journalism, which is rare.—
Sara Fischer,
Axios,
25 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The next puzzle will be available at midnight in your time zone.—
Mark Cooper,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
-
Yet the organization that cracks this puzzle, delivering a holistic, user-friendly experience at scale, could seize a massive share of the consumer finance market.—
Zennon Kapron,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
That, for me, is the only piercing message of this whole thing.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
21 Mar. 2025
-
That list was winnowed in December to three corridors, including what is known as the Southwestern Grid Connector — which would run up the eastern edge of New Mexico, scrape the western edge of the Oklahoma panhandle and pierce the southeast corner of Colorado.—
John Aguilar,
The Denver Post,
20 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Here and Now Agency/paul vu Music schools can be brutal places, suffused with envy and moistened by tears.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
13 Mar. 2025
-
The cocktail party, suffused with the energy of Paris and the promise of couture to come, marked an auspicious beginning for both women—and a thrilling new chapter for Vogue and GQ in France.—
Vogue,
Vogue,
26 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Supernal landscapes and the gigantic, palatial mother ship — with its combination of colonial, gothic, and neoclassical architecture — take viewers low and high, from the spiritual enigmas of Humanité to its carnal reality.—
Armond White,
National Review,
14 Mar. 2025
-
The film, based on a true story that became a media sensation in the '80s, never renders definitive judgment on von Bülow (who was acquitted in court), leaving him an indelible enigma that Irons teases but never tells.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
2 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The last Sweet 16 tickets will be punched on Sunday, with second-round tourney action starting around noon Eastern and concluding shortly before midnight.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
The Athletic,
23 Mar. 2025
-
How to Watch Wofford Terriers vs Tennessee Volunteers: Date: Thursday, Mar. 20, 2025 Time: 6:50 PM ET Channel: TNT Stream: Sling (watch) Wofford punched their ticket to the NCAA tournament with a 92-85 win over Furman in the Southern Conference Championship game.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
20 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Riddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riddle. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share