enigmatic

adjective

ˌe-(ˌ)nig-ˈma-tik How to pronounce enigmatic (audio)
variants also enigmatical
Definition of enigmaticnext
1
as in mysterious
being beyond one's powers to know, understand, or explain the discovery of the abandoned ship in mid ocean remains one of the most enigmatic episodes in seafaring history

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dark
having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning the Mona Lisa's enigmatic smile

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word enigmatic different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of enigmatic are ambiguous, cryptic, dark, equivocal, obscure, and vague. While all these words mean "not clearly understandable," enigmatic stresses a puzzling, mystifying quality.

enigmatic occult writings

When could ambiguous be used to replace enigmatic?

In some situations, the words ambiguous and enigmatic are roughly equivalent. However, ambiguous applies to language capable of more than one interpretation.

an ambiguous directive

When is cryptic a more appropriate choice than enigmatic?

The meanings of cryptic and enigmatic largely overlap; however, cryptic implies a purposely concealed meaning.

cryptic hints of hidden treasure

In what contexts can dark take the place of enigmatic?

While in some cases nearly identical to enigmatic, dark implies an imperfect or clouded revelation often with ominous or sinister suggestion.

muttered dark hints of revenge

When can equivocal be used instead of enigmatic?

Although the words equivocal and enigmatic have much in common, equivocal applies to language left open to differing interpretations with the intention of deceiving or evading.

moral precepts with equivocal phrasing

When would obscure be a good substitute for enigmatic?

The synonyms obscure and enigmatic are sometimes interchangeable, but obscure implies a hiding or veiling of meaning through some inadequacy of expression or withholding of full knowledge.

obscure poems

Where would vague be a reasonable alternative to enigmatic?

The words vague and enigmatic can be used in similar contexts, but vague implies a lack of clear formulation due to inadequate conception or consideration.

a vague sense of obligation

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 enigmatic While both Perseverance and Curiosity's adventures have revealed some insights about the enigmatic Martian geology, that's nothing compared to what studying the samples up close with state-of-the-art equipment could unveil. —Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2025 With one enigmatic sentence in an interview with Bloomberg this week, Todd Boehly brought the minds of many Chelsea supporters back to the ownership friction with majority shareholders Clearlake Capital that had gone quiet since spilling out publicly last September. —Liam Twomey, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025 The actor, who has built a career playing deliciously inscrutable villains, stars as Alfred Moretti, an enigmatic pop icon who, after decades out of the spotlight, re-emerges to announce the release of a new album. —Jessica Wang, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2025 Led by the enigmatic Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) and accompanied by the shadowy operative Alejandro (Benicio del Toro), Kate is thrust into a brutal and morally murky world where the lines between justice and lawlessness blur. —Travis Bean, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for enigmatic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enigmatic
  1. mysterious
  2. dark
  3. cryptic
  4. ambiguous
  5. mystic
  6. inscrutable
  7. vague
  8. faint
Adjective
  • The film follows a teenage girl who partners with a mysterious robot and an eccentric grifter to find her brother in a dystopian future.
    — Julia Teti, WWD, 13 Mar. 2025
  • Their work is a search for meaning—an attempt to make sense of mysterious signs.
    — Nicolás Medina Mora, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of mysterious
Adjective
  • Editor’s tip: Niacinamide is a multitasker that blurs the look of dark spots, evens your skin tone, and balances your complexion.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 15 Apr. 2025
  • And so by some sociologists, camp is thought to be this form of dark humor serving as a coping mechanism to historical marginalization.
    — Sam Reed, Glamour, 15 Apr. 2025
Definition of dark
Adjective
  • Generally, when a player makes a cryptic social media post ...
    — Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Apr. 2025
  • Pittsburgh Steelers four-time All-pro defensive end T.J. Watt had a cryptic post on his Instagram account that had the NFL world in a social media frenzy.
    — Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of cryptic
Adjective
  • Religion is the topic most likely to cause offense in India today, though the code is ambiguous on this point too.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 3 Apr. 2025
  • One thing that is not ambiguous is that the spirit is drawing Mia into its world a little at a time.
    — Katie Rife, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2025
Definition of ambiguous
Adjective
  • Those attributed to Jesus—described in language nearly identical to accounts of the Greek mystic and holy man Apollonius of Tyana, say—are neither more nor less convincing than others.
    — Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2025
  • Founded on the ethos of art as a form of mystic healing, the label reimagines the family heirloom—and invites its patrons to examine their relationship with objects.
    — Nia Shumake, Essence, 3 Feb. 2025
Definition of mystic
Adjective
  • Aside from the retroactive tariffs expected to be announced this afternoon by the White House, not only is the imposition of secondary sanctions on buyers of Russian highly uncertain, but their possible nature remains inscrutable.
    — Michael Lynch, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
  • While other tech companies usually name their products using combinations of inscrutable letters and numbers, most of Nvidia’s most recent GPU architectures have been named after famous women scientists.
    — Kif Leswing, CNBC, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of inscrutable
Adjective
  • In fact, those professions grew because the accountant must also talk to clients, ask them questions, make judgement calls about sometimes vague tax code interpretations and execute numerous other judgements on a daily basis.
    — Ismail Amla, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Instead of vague goals, such as align with human values, researchers and developers can talk about specific contexts and roles for AI more clearly.
    — Aidan Kierans, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of vague
Adjective
  • Being generally smaller, colder and much darker than a star, exoplanets are also harder to detect, so specialized techniques are required for capturing their faint signals.
    — Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Apr. 2025
  • By subtracting these reference images from the target images, the team effectively removed the star's light, isolating the faint signals from the planets.
    — Victoria Corless, Space.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Definition of faint

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enigmatic
enjoin
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“Enigmatic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enigmatic. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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