Vocabulary in context
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Mysterious
Difficult to understand or explain; arousing curiosity or suspicion because of secrecy or ambiguity.
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Imagine This
Imagine a fog-shrouded mansion where every door hides a secret, and whispers drift from the walls explaining nothing, leaving you endlessly curious.
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Sounds Like
MISS-tuh-ree-uhs (roughly)
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Looks Like
Resembles the noun mystery; shares the root myst- (secret) and ends with the common adjective suffix -ous.
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Remember This
The root mystery and the form mysterious are closely linked; the word is frequently used in mystery fiction and discussions of enigmatic phenomena.
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Other Forms
mysteriouslyadverb
mysteriousnessnoun
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Connect With
enigmatic, cryptic, arcane, inscrutable, unfathomable
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Note
Different from mystical (spiritual) and mystery (the thing that is unknown). Mysterious describes something puzzling or secretive rather than merely unseen.
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Study Deeper
Examples
- The old manuscript remained mysterious, with no author or date to explain its origins.
- The detective followed a mysterious clue that led nowhere for weeks.
Synonyms
enigmaticcrypticarcaneinscrutableunfathomable
Antonyms
clearobvioustransparent
Etymology
From Latin mysteriosus, from Greek mystērios 'secret, hidden', from mystēs 'one who is initiated' (see mystery). The sense evolved to mean 'secretive; difficult to understand'.
Mnemonic
Mystery + ous: Mysterious = mystery + 'ous'. Think: anything that is mysterious is full of mystery; add -ous to turn it into an adjective.
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Adamant
adjectiveRigid in opinion or purpose; not willing to change one's mind or position.
Deficit
nounA shortfall or deficiency; the amount by which something, especially money, falls short of what is required or expected.
Obtrusive
adjectiveNoticeably forward or intrusive in a way that is unwelcome; tending to push itself into others' affairs or perceptions.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Arcane
adjectiveMysterious; understood by only a few; obscure
Inscrutable
adjectiveDifficult to understand or interpret; not readily understood or interpreted.
Abstruse
adjectiveDifficult to understand; obscure or highly complex.
Accidental
adjectiveHappening by chance or without deliberate planning; not intended. In music, it is also a noun for a symbol that temporarily alters a pitch.
Acerbic
adjectiveSharp or biting in tone or taste; caustic or mordant in manner.
Acquiescent
adjectiveReady to agree or approve without protest; compliant.
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