Someone or something that is mysterious is strange and is not known about or understood.
He died in mysterious circumstances.
A mysterious illness confined him to bed for over a month.
The whole thing seems very mysterious.
He began to feel sympathy for this slightly mysterious man.
Synonyms: strange, unknown, puzzling, curious More Synonyms of mysterious
mysteriouslyadverb [usually ADVERB with verb]
A couple of messages had mysteriously disappeared.
2. adjective [verb-link ADJECTIVE]
If someone is mysterious about something, they deliberately do not talk much about it, sometimes because they want to make people more interested in it.
As for his job–well, he was very mysterious about it. [+ about]
Synonyms: secretive, enigmatic, evasive, discreet More Synonyms of mysterious
mysteriouslyadverb [ADVERB after verb]
Asked what she meant, she said mysteriously: 'Work it out for yourself'.
mysterious in British English
(mɪˈstɪərɪəs)
adjective
1.
characterized by or indicative of mystery
2.
puzzling, curious, or enigmatic
Derived forms
mysteriously (mysˈteriously)
adverb
mysteriousness (mysˈteriousness)
noun
mysterious in American English
(mɪsˈtɪriəs)
adjective
of, containing, implying, or characterized by mystery
SYNONYMY NOTE: mysterious is applied to that which excites curiosity, wonder, etc. but is impossible or difficultto explain or solve [a mysterious murder]; that is inscrutable which is completely mysterious and is altogether incapable of being searched out,interpreted, or understood [the inscrutable ways of God]; mystical applies to that which is occult or esoteric in connection with religious rites orspiritual experience
Derived forms
mysteriously (mysˈteriously)
adverb
mysteriousness (mysˈteriousness)
noun
Word origin
< L mysterium (see mystery1) + -ous
Examples of 'mysterious' in a sentence
mysterious
Is it fake news or is there something mysterious going on?
The Sun (2017)
He died in mysterious circumstances on a flight from London to Miami.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
She calls it'love management' and says you have to make yourself more mysterious.
The Sun (2016)
This would suggest that he might have returned to bed before collapsing and dying in mysterious circumstances.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
It seems to be the one thing that can make modern life mysterious or marvellous to us.
The Times Literary Supplement (2014)
Last year she had a mysterious illness and undisclosed medical treatment.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
What a mysterious and powerful thing the unconscious mind is.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
But then the young writer is found dead under mysterious circumstances.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
But this week he makes a mysterious return.
The Sun (2006)
Bees are dying by their millions from a mysterious illness.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The mysterious thing about this proper love is that it contains not race of the early lunacy.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
There was something mysterious in the air that morning.
Frances Hodgson Burnett The Secret Garden (1911)
But then she finds out the last owners left in very mysterious circumstances.
The Sun (2015)
But then came the mysterious disappearance.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Japan came to equal cool, if slightly mysterious.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
If you want to elicit curiosity, then act in a strange and mysterious way.
O'Connor, Joseph & Seymour, John Training with N.L.P. (1994)
Their mysterious disappearance after setting off from a Jersey harbour in an inflatable kayak sparked an international search.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Any change to a team is an alteration of the entire and mysterious dynamic that makes a team work, or not work.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Three artists not normally mentioned in the same breath are brought together in an exhibition that explores light as a powerful, mysterious and celestial force.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Air is always nice, of course, but the fascination with massive amounts of headroom in modern cars still seems slightly mysterious.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Quotations
God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform; He plants his footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the stormWilliam CowperOlney Hymns
In other languages
mysterious
British English: mysterious /mɪˈstɪərɪəs/ ADJECTIVE
Someone or something that is mysterious is strange, not known about, or not understood.
A mysterious illness made him sick.
American English: mysterious
Arabic: غَامِضٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: misterioso
Chinese: 神秘的
Croatian: tajanstven
Czech: záhadný
Danish: mystisk
Dutch: mysterieus
European Spanish: misterioso
Finnish: salaperäinen
French: mystérieux
German: geheimnisvoll
Greek: μυστηριώδης
Italian: misterioso
Japanese: 謎めいた
Korean: 신비한
Norwegian: mystisk
Polish: tajemniczy
European Portuguese: misterioso
Romanian: misterios
Russian: таинственный
Latin American Spanish: misterioso
Swedish: mystisk
Thai: ที่ลึกลับ
Turkish: gizemli
Ukrainian: таємничий
Vietnamese: huyền bí
Chinese translation of 'mysterious'
mysterious
(mɪsˈtɪərɪəs)
adj
(= strange) 神秘(祕)的 (shénmì de)
(= enigmatic)
to be mysterious about sth对(對)某事卖(賣)弄玄虚(虛) (duì mǒushì màinòng xuánxū)
1 (adjective)
Definition
of unknown cause or nature
He died in mysterious circumstances.
Synonyms
strange
There was something strange about the flickering blue light.
unknown
puzzling
His letter poses a number of puzzling questions.
curious
A lot of curious things have happened here in the past few weeks.
secret
a secret code
hidden
Uncover hidden meanings and discover special messages.
weird
I had such a weird dream last night.
concealed
obscure
The contract is written in obscure language.
baffling
I was constantly ill, with a baffling array of symptoms.
veiled
mystical
mystic union with God
perplexing
The procedure is perplexing at the best of times.
uncanny
I had this uncanny feeling that Alice was warning me.
incomprehensible
incomprehensible mathematics puzzles
mystifying
impenetrable
His philosophical work is notoriously impenetrable.
arcane
the arcane world of contemporary music
inexplicable
Your behaviour was extraordinary and inexplicable.
cryptic
I wondered just what he meant by that cryptic remark.
insoluble
an insoluble dilemma that I could do nothing about
unfathomable
How unfathomable and odd is life!
abstruse
Meetings keep reverting to discussions about abstruse resolutions.
recondite
Her poems are recondite in subject matter.
Delphic
Opposites
clear
,
plain
,
apparent
,
manifest
2 (adjective)
Definition
creating a feeling of strangeness, curiosity, or wonder
As for his job – well, he was very mysterious about it.
Synonyms
secretive
He was very secretive about his plans.
enigmatic
She starred in one of Welles's most enigmatic films.
evasive
discreet
covert
reticent
She is so reticent about her achievements.
furtive
a furtive glance over her shoulder
inscrutable
Even when opened the contents of the package were as inscrutable as ever.
non-committal
surreptitious
They had several surreptitious conversations.
cloak-and-dagger
sphinx-like
Quotation
God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform; He plants his footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm [William Cowper – Olney Hymns]
Additional synonyms
in the sense of abstruse
Definition
not easy to understand
Meetings keep reverting to discussions about abstruse resolutions.
Synonyms
obscure,
complex,
confusing,
puzzling,
subtle,
mysterious,
concealed,
abstract,
vague,
deep,
dark,
hidden,
unclear,
ambiguous,
enigmatic,
esoteric,
perplexing,
occult,
opaque,
incomprehensible,
arcane,
hazy,
cryptic,
unfathomable,
recondite,
Delphic,
clear as mud (informal)
in the sense of arcane
Definition
very mysterious
the arcane world of contemporary music
Synonyms
mysterious,
secret,
hidden,
esoteric,
occult,
recondite,
cabbalistic
in the sense of baffling
I was constantly ill, with a baffling array of symptoms.
Synonyms
puzzling,
strange,
confusing,
weird,
mysterious,
unclear,
bewildering,
elusive,
enigmatic,
perplexing,
incomprehensible,
mystifying,
inexplicable,
unaccountable,
unfathomable
Synonyms of 'mysterious'
mysterious
Explore 'mysterious' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of cryptic
Definition
having a hidden or secret meaning
I wondered just what he meant by that cryptic remark.
Synonyms
mysterious,
dark,
coded,
puzzling,
obscure,
vague,
veiled,
ambiguous,
enigmatic,
perplexing,
arcane,
equivocal,
abstruse,
Delphic,
oracular
in the sense of curious
Definition
unusual or peculiar
A lot of curious things have happened here in the past few weeks.
Synonyms
strange,
unusual,
bizarre,
odd,
novel,
wonderful,
rare,
unique,
extraordinary,
puzzling,
unexpected,
exotic,
mysterious,
marvellous,
peculiar,
queer (informal),
rum (British, slang),
singular,
unconventional,
quaint,
unorthodox
in the sense of enigmatic
She starred in one of Welles's most enigmatic films.
Synonyms
mysterious,
puzzling,
obscure,
baffling,
ambiguous,
perplexing,
incomprehensible,
mystifying,
inexplicable,
unintelligible,
paradoxical,
cryptic,
inscrutable,
unfathomable,
indecipherable,
recondite,
Delphic,
oracular,
sphinxlike
in the sense of furtive
Definition
sly, cautious, and secretive
a furtive glance over her shoulder
Synonyms
sly,
secret,
hidden,
sneaking,
covert,
cloaked,
behind someone's back,
secretive,
clandestine,
sneaky,
under-the-table,
slinking,
conspiratorial,
skulking,
underhand,
surreptitious,
stealthy
in the sense of hidden
Definition
not easily noticed or obscure
Uncover hidden meanings and discover special messages.
Synonyms
secret,
veiled,
dark,
mysterious,
obscure,
mystical,
mystic,
shrouded,
occult,
latent,
cryptic,
ulterior,
abstruse,
recondite,
hermetic or hermetical
in the sense of impenetrable
Definition
impossible to understand
His philosophical work is notoriously impenetrable.
Synonyms
incomprehensible,
obscure,
baffling,
dark,
hidden,
mysterious,
enigmatic,
arcane,
inexplicable,
unintelligible,
inscrutable,
unfathomable,
indiscernible,
cabbalistic,
enigmatical
in the sense of incomprehensible
incomprehensible mathematics puzzles
Synonyms
obscure,
puzzling,
mysterious,
baffling,
enigmatic,
perplexing,
opaque,
impenetrable,
inscrutable,
unfathomable,
above your head,
beyond comprehension,
all Greek to you (informal),
beyond your grasp
in the sense of inexplicable
Definition
impossible to explain
Your behaviour was extraordinary and inexplicable.
Synonyms
unaccountable,
strange,
mysterious,
baffling,
enigmatic,
incomprehensible,
mystifying,
unintelligible,
insoluble,
inscrutable,
unfathomable,
beyond comprehension
in the sense of inscrutable
Definition
mysterious or enigmatic
Even when opened the contents of the package were as inscrutable as ever.
Synonyms
mysterious,
incomprehensible,
inexplicable,
hidden,
unintelligible,
unfathomable,
unexplainable,
undiscoverable
in the sense of insoluble
Definition
impossible to solve
an insoluble dilemma that I could do nothing about
Synonyms
inexplicable,
mysterious,
baffling,
obscure,
mystifying,
impenetrable,
unaccountable,
unfathomable,
indecipherable,
unsolvable
Additional synonyms
in the sense of mystical
Definition
having occult or metaphysical significance
mystic union with God
Synonyms
supernatural,
mysterious,
transcendental,
spiritual,
esoteric,
occult,
arcane,
metaphysical,
paranormal,
inscrutable,
otherworldly,
abstruse,
cabalistic,
preternatural,
nonrational
in the sense of obscure
Definition
not easily understood
The contract is written in obscure language.
Synonyms
abstruse,
involved,
complex,
confusing,
puzzling,
subtle,
mysterious,
deep,
vague,
unclear,
doubtful,
mystical,
intricate,
ambiguous,
enigmatic,
esoteric,
perplexing,
occult,
opaque,
incomprehensible,
arcane,
cryptic,
unfathomable,
recondite,
Delphic,
clear as mud (informal)
in the sense of perplexing
The procedure is perplexing at the best of times.
Synonyms
puzzling,
complex,
confusing,
complicated,
involved,
hard,
taxing,
difficult,
strange,
weird,
mysterious,
baffling,
bewildering,
intricate,
enigmatic,
mystifying,
inexplicable,
thorny,
paradoxical,
unaccountable,
knotty,
labyrinthine
in the sense of puzzling
His letter poses a number of puzzling questions.
Synonyms
perplexing,
baffling,
bewildering,
hard,
involved,
misleading,
unclear,
ambiguous,
enigmatic,
incomprehensible,
mystifying,
inexplicable,
unaccountable,
knotty,
unfathomable,
labyrinthine,
full of surprises,
abstruse,
beyond you,
oracular
in the sense of recondite
Definition
dealing with abstruse or profound subjects
Her poems are recondite in subject matter.
Synonyms
obscure,
involved,
difficult,
deep,
dark,
secret,
hidden,
mysterious,
concealed,
profound,
mystical,
esoteric,
occult,
arcane,
abstruse,
cabbalistic
in the sense of reticent
Definition
not willing to say or tell much
She is so reticent about her achievements.
Synonyms
uncommunicative,
reserved,
secretive,
unforthcoming,
quiet,
silent,
restrained,
taciturn,
tight-lipped,
unspeaking,
close-lipped,
mum
in the sense of secret
Definition
kept hidden or separate from the knowledge of all or all but a few others
a secret code
Synonyms
mysterious,
cryptic,
abstruse,
classified,
esoteric,
occult,
clandestine,
arcane,
recondite,
cabbalistic
in the sense of surreptitious
Definition
done in secret or without permission
They had several surreptitious conversations.
Synonyms
secret,
clandestine,
furtive,
sneaking,
veiled,
covert,
sly,
fraudulent,
unauthorized,
underhand,
stealthy
in the sense of uncanny
Definition
weird or mysterious
I had this uncanny feeling that Alice was warning me.