variants
or elliptic
1
as in cryptic
having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning
the poet's elliptical style is such that the reader often senses that an allusion is being made—but to what exactly?
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in concise
marked by the use of few words to convey much information or meaning
his elliptical replies can seem rude to some people, but that's just his way
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of elliptical
Within about an hour, Blue Ghost separated from the Falcon 9 rocket on an elliptical Earth orbit before establishing communications with Firefly’s mission operations center in Cedar Park, Texas.
—
Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 21 Jan. 2025
Take the elliptical staircase—capped by dual skylights—to reach each floor where the rooms mirror something out of a storybook with touches of whimsy and elegance.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 6 Dec. 2024
Its elliptical orbit is also why, technically, Mars was slightly closer to Earth on Sunday, Jan. 12, than tonight, at 59.7 million miles (96.1 million kilometers).
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
As for the zooming in and out in the video, that's due to Solar Orbiter's elliptical orbit.
—Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 13 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elliptical
Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 21 Jan. 2025
Take the elliptical staircase—capped by dual skylights—to reach each floor where the rooms mirror something out of a storybook with touches of whimsy and elegance.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 6 Dec. 2024
Its elliptical orbit is also why, technically, Mars was slightly closer to Earth on Sunday, Jan. 12, than tonight, at 59.7 million miles (96.1 million kilometers).
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
As for the zooming in and out in the video, that's due to Solar Orbiter's elliptical orbit.
—Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 13 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elliptical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elliptical
Adjective
-
Women possessed by the gods were oracles, predicting the future in cryptic utterances.—
Vipin Bharathan,
Forbes,
9 Mar. 2025
-
Escher String Quartet Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts, 2132 Hillside Road, Storrs The Escher String Quartet, named for the cryptic artist M.C. Escher, performs pieces by Ravel, Mendelssohn and Mozart on March 4 at 7:30 p.m. $39, $37 seniors, free for students and youth.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The Kohler Sunstruck oval tub is standard in the primary bathroom if this layout is chosen.—
Benjamin C Tankersley,
Washington Post,
1 Feb. 2023
-
This simple opener works well on circular cans but may not be effective on dented, square, or oval cans.—
Maya Polton,
Better Homes & Gardens,
31 Jan. 2023
Adjective
-
Her offbeat style and charming eccentricity informed the concise lineup in which high and low were intentionally merged.—
WWD,
WWD,
3 Mar. 2025
-
In this comprehensive yet concise history of modern polar exploration, Shubin, a professor of evolutionary biology, mixes urgent scientific findings about glaciers and sea-level rise with prescient geopolitical histories of Arctic territorial disputes.—
The New Yorker,
The New Yorker,
3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Trump has not commented on the military base plan specifically but delivered an ambiguous answer this week to a question regarding the use of private companies to assist with deportations.—
David Catanese,
Miami Herald,
28 Feb. 2025
-
The film has proven divisive, though, with some audiences puzzled by its breakneck tonal shifts and ambiguous ending.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Below are brief descriptions of the wines and tasting notes.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
-
The Kurdish people have had a complicated relationship with Erdogan, who courted them during his early years in power by granting them more rights and reversing restrictions on the use of their language, and worked on the brief peace process with the PKK.—
Eyad Kourdi,
CNN,
1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Despite its enigmatic nature, Rafflesia species have long been used for medicinal purposes by Indigenous Peoples and, more recently, as a source of revenue generated by ecotourism.—
GrrlScientist,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
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Love planet Venus starts retrograding in your enigmatic eighth house on March 1, prompting a review of the hidden underbelly of all your closest bonds.—
Nina Kahn,
StyleCaster,
24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
There were abrasive, curt interviews with the media.—
Cam Inman,
The Mercury News,
3 Mar. 2025
-
Before Rocky could reply, Rihanna interjected with a curt reaction.—
Edward Segarra,
USA TODAY,
19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Alsup, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, has presided over many high-profile cases and is known for his blunt talk.—
JANIE HAR THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
arkansasonline.com,
28 Feb. 2025
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Justin Bieber let fans in on his smoke break Thursday (Feb. 27), with the star sharing a carefree video of himself enjoying what appears to be a blunt or cigar while jamming out to Don Toliver on Instagram Stories.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
27 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Elliptical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elliptical. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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