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.
It's been released ahead of the lunar fly-by on Monday when the crew will fly around this mysterious far side, passing within 4,066 miles of the surface.
From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026
The mysterious arson fires in a Hollywood neighborhood started small.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026
So the Sora video-generating app was canceled, and my guess is the Atlas browser—plus a mysterious hardware device by designer diva Jony Ive—may be the next to be killed.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026
Ursula has shades of Gellar’s famous characters — Buffy’s physical ferocity, Kathryn Merteuil’s ruthless cattiness, Daphne Blake’s affinity for mysterious games — but doesn’t play to one exclusively.
From Salon • Mar. 26, 2026
These were all experienced and well-qualified bakers, mind you, but for some mysterious reason, every attempt turned out a failure.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
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.
