mysterious
adjective
mys·te·ri·ous
mi-ˈstir-ē-əs 
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
Robert Houston
mysteriousness
noun
Synonyms of mysterious
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
But a more intriguing subplot begins to take over when Diamond crosses paths with a mysterious woman in white (Rosemarie DeWitt), leading to a denouement that unlocks the secret behind his refusal to acknowledge the present.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2026
Appearing on camera alongside his 10-year-old son Augustus Juppiter, Corgan spent the few minutes teasing something mysterious.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 20 May 2026
Louise Glück unpacks the mysterious power of writing as transformation.
—Ian Crouch, New Yorker, 20 May 2026
In addition to drug trafficking and money laundering, this mysterious criminal group has been linked to incidents where police investigators or border patrol agents were bribed, authorities said.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for mysterious
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Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2026
Appearing on camera alongside his 10-year-old son Augustus Juppiter, Corgan spent the few minutes teasing something mysterious.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 20 May 2026
Louise Glück unpacks the mysterious power of writing as transformation.
—Ian Crouch, New Yorker, 20 May 2026
In addition to drug trafficking and money laundering, this mysterious criminal group has been linked to incidents where police investigators or border patrol agents were bribed, authorities said.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for mysterious
Cite this Entry
“Mysterious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mysterious. Accessed 26 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mysterious
adjective
mys·te·ri·ous
mis-ˈtir-ē-əs
: 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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