mysterious

adjective

mys·​te·​ri·​ous mi-ˈstir-ē-əs How to pronounce mysterious (audio)
Synonyms of mysterious
1
a
: of, relating to, or constituting mystery
the mysterious ways of God
b
: exciting wonder, curiosity, or surprise while baffling efforts to comprehend or identify : mystifying
heard a mysterious noise
a mysterious stranger
a mysterious plane crash
a mysterious illness
2
: stirred by or attracted to the inexplicable
… to help a mysterious wizard … ward off the end of the world …Robert Houston
mysteriousness noun

Examples of mysterious in a Sentence

the mysterious ways of nature We heard a mysterious noise outside our tent. He died under mysterious circumstances. A mysterious illness has been spreading through the city. There's something mysterious about that old woman. Her behavior was very mysterious.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Nothing is mysterious about these history-making Knicks, other than the executive who assembled them. Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 28 May 2026 But when a mysterious stranger begins blackmailing Neve, she is forced to compromise every legal, moral, and ethical obligation to gain an acquittal — or else risk her dark secrets being exposed. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 27 May 2026 In 2019, a mysterious post took off on 4chan, that ever-churning morass of anonymous commentary and internet peculiarities. David Sims, The Atlantic, 27 May 2026 The first reactions have landed for Steven Spielberg‘s mysterious UFO thriller Disclosure Day. James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 27 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for mysterious

Word History

Etymology

mystery entry 1 + -ous, probably after Middle French mysterieux

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of mysterious was in 1578

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mysterious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mysterious. Accessed 29 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

mysterious

adjective
mys·​te·​ri·​ous mis-ˈtir-ē-əs How to pronounce mysterious (audio)
: containing, suggesting, or presenting a mystery
mysterious noises
also : difficult or impossible to understand
the mysterious ways of nature
mysteriously adverb

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