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.
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Recent Examples of riddle
Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
These caterpillars typically riddle plant leaves with lacy holes or chew entire leaves down to nubs.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 June 2025
Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 10 July 2025
Fuller had heard that the city’s police department was riddled with corruption.
—Longreads, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for riddle
Noun
This was the riddle: What has a spine but no bones?
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
These caterpillars typically riddle plant leaves with lacy holes or chew entire leaves down to nubs.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 June 2025
Verb
At the meeting, Martínez Beltrán argued that, given the political climate, the issue was too urgent to wait, leading to discussion riddled with cross-talk between Turner and Martínez Beltrán.
—Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 10 July 2025
Fuller had heard that the city’s police department was riddled with corruption.
—Longreads, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for riddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riddle
Noun
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Fox went on to appear in 2009's Sherlock Holmes and 2018's Christmas Survival, as well as guest starring in several British mystery television shows, including Midsomer Murders, Death in Paradise and Downton Abbey.—
Jordana Comiter,
People.com,
15 July 2025
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The cast for the first (and only) season of the Columbo-esque mystery series also featured Randall Park, Giancarlo Esposito, Susan Kelechi Watson, Edwina Findley, Bronson Pinchot, Mary Wiseman, Julieth Restrepo, Al Mitchell, Mel Rodriguez, Ken Marino, Jason Lee and Jane Curtin, among others.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
15 July 2025
Verb
-
Once the first seven vertebrae are drilled, Ross takes over on the left side to drill holes on the same vertebrae on the opposite side of the spinal cord.—
Nicole Villalpando,
Austin American Statesman,
23 July 2025
-
However, the noise could be caused by a woodpecker drilling on the gutters or near to one of them.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
21 July 2025
Verb
-
This product can be helpful for removing rust from hidden areas and crevices that are hard to penetrate.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
26 July 2025
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However, when the $540 ceiling was being penetrated, the RSI did not confirm with a push to new highs indicating that momentum, or rate-of-change, was waning.—
Todd Gordon,
CNBC,
22 July 2025
Noun
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The Mariners reportedly are still in on their former third baseman and would be the final piece to Seattle's puzzle.—
Hunter Mulholland,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 July 2025
-
Need help with today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle?—
Mark Cooper,
New York Times,
26 July 2025
Verb
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The bullet pierced that victim’s left thigh, exiting then lodging in her right thigh.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
22 July 2025
-
Reduce heat to low to maintain a simmer; simmer over low, covered, until broth mixture has thickened and steaks are tender when pierced with a fork, about 1 hour, stirring gravy and turning steaks every 15 minutes.—
Marianne Williams,
Southern Living,
20 July 2025
Verb
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The notion that Social Security faces a shortfall suffuses the national conversation about retirement.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
24 July 2025
-
The one person who actually went to prison for the 2021 shooting death of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins is free just weeks after the tragedy suffused Alec Baldwin starring indie Western premiered and then promptly disappeared in a cloud of box office dust earlier this month.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
25 May 2025
Noun
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Except there’s a mystery, wrapped in an enigma, and coated in a puzzle.—
Irina Ivanova,
Fortune,
13 July 2025
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Chris Simon, professor emeritus of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Connecticut, has been studying cicadas for 51 years and is still trying to understand how these small enigmas do just that.—
Sarah Henry,
The Courier-Journal,
8 July 2025
Verb
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An Iranian man punches through a representation of the Israeli flag with the Iranian flag ribbon tied to his wrist in an anti-U.S. and anti-Israeli rally at Enqelab-e-Eslami (Islamic Revolution) square in downtown Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, June 24, 2025.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 July 2025
-
Bowers smashed in the driver's side window and punched McNeil in the head.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
22 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Riddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riddle. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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