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
Jamie Carter, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
Of course, many other (fainter) stars will also be occulted during the moon's 2-to-3-hour passage through the cluster.
—Joe Rao, Space.com, 9 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
When was it occulted by the moon?
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
Of course, many other (fainter) stars will also be occulted during the moon's 2-to-3-hour passage through the cluster.
—Joe Rao, Space.com, 9 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for occult
Recent Examples of Synonyms for occult
Adjective
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Denim shifts toward a mysterious direction in Blooming Darkness.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
27 May 2025
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Carlton Reid Based on 20 years of observations by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, new research sheds light on one of the solar system’s most mysterious planets.—
Ryan Waniata,
Wired News,
27 May 2025
Adjective
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Without a clear roadmap, friendship breakups often feel ambiguous, or sometimes lead to unnecessary hurt.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
7 June 2025
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The Food and Drug Administration’s April 22 news release contains some ambiguous language.—
Andrea Ruth,
The Washington Examiner,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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This was a preposterous undertaking, like trying to rank the various pixels of a magic eye poster.—
Pitchfork,
Pitchfork,
6 June 2025
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To make magic shell: Combine 1 cup of chocolate chips and about 3 tablespoons of coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
4 June 2025
Verb
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The raw data obscures just how substantial and prolonged the downfall of the little guy in the NBA has been.—
Lev Akabas,
Sportico.com,
6 June 2025
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Complicating matters further are sophisticated networks of onshore and offshore actors who facilitate illicit operations by obscuring catch data, obfuscating labor abuses, and lobbying to maintain lax regulations, according to C4ADS.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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Before Tessitore and Barrett could finish arguing, the screen cut out to a cryptic promo from Uncle Howdy, who teased coming after the Tag Team Titles.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
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On Thursday, May 29, the 20-year-old shared a cryptic message on Instagram Stories.—
Catherine Santino,
People.com,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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The author also varies the texture of the book by inserting poems, quotations, dramatic dialogue, a veiled account of her unhappy days at boarding school, and a lengthy digression on the German mystic Friederike Hauffe, who claimed to be clairvoyant and to communicate with spirits.—
James Marcus,
New Yorker,
2 June 2025
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Further projects include psychological thriller The Olive Press, set in the mystic world of the Druze community in Mount Lebanon, from writer and director Samah El Kadi, and co-written by Nadim Chammas.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
19 May 2025
Adjective
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And just like in those films, the magical creatures steal the spotlight.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
27 May 2025
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Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint were the first actors to play the magical roles, across eight films from 2001 to 2011.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
27 May 2025
Verb
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Millions of low-cost devices for media streaming, in-vehicle entertainment, and video projection are infected with malware that turns consumer networks into platforms for distributing malware, concealing nefarious communications, and performing other illicit activities, the FBI has warned.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
6 June 2025
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On December 27, 1908, Boy Staunton (a literal boy, double-underlining Davies’s interest in archetypes) throws a snowball with a stone concealed in it at his friend Duncan.—
Casey Cep,
New Yorker,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Occult.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occult. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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