mysterious
Americanadjective
-
full of, characterized by, or involving mystery.
a mysterious occurrence.
-
implying or suggesting a mystery.
a mysterious smile.
-
of obscure nature, meaning, origin, etc.; puzzling; inexplicable.
a mysterious inscription on the ancient tomb.
- Synonyms:
- impenetrable, enigmatic, incomprehensible, unintelligible, unfathomable
adjective
-
characterized by or indicative of mystery
-
puzzling, curious, or enigmatic
Related Words
Mysterious, inscrutable, mystical, obscure refer to that which is not easily comprehended or explained. That which is mysterious, by being unknown or puzzling, excites curiosity, amazement, or awe: a mysterious disease. Inscrutable applies to that which is impenetrable, so enigmatic that one cannot interpret its significance: an inscrutable smile. That which is mystical has a secret significance, such as that attaching to certain rites or signs: mystical symbols. That which is obscure is discovered or comprehended dimly or with difficulty: obscure motives.
Other Word Forms
- mysteriously adverb
- mysteriousness noun
- quasi-mysterious adjective
- quasi-mysteriously adverb
- unmysterious adjective
- unmysteriously adverb
- unmysteriousness noun
Etymology
Origin of mysterious
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This is the part where soup stops feeling mysterious and starts feeling friendly.
From Salon
“Mushrooms are mysterious little things because right away your parents tell you, as a child, don’t eat that,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times
Sam looked around, but the mysterious Terrible Twos were still invisible.
From Literature
Her unabashed nature modeled an energy, if not a humorous script, when I returned to work after what seemed to some a mysterious six-month absence.
From Los Angeles Times
I still trusted in our road through time, and in its mysterious way of joining up all the different universes within this crazy world of ours.
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
