1
as in mysterious
being beyond one's powers to know, understand, or explain
the occult ways in which the human mind works
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2
as in ambiguous
having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning
an occult reference in the text that has puzzled scholars ever since
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3
as in magic
having seemingly supernatural qualities or powers
Great Britain's Stonehenge is one of those occult places where people expect something of cosmic significance to happen
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as in to obscure
to keep secret or shut off from view
occulted their house from prying eyes by planting large trees around it the actor's private life had long been occulted by a contrived public persona
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of occult
Hank Shteamer, SPIN, 24 Jan. 2023
It’s a determinedly non-jokey supernatural thriller in which a group of Adelaide teens get in way over their heads playing an occult party game.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 22 Jan. 2023
Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
April 25: The moon will occult Regulus again at approximately 8:30 P.M. (depending on your location), though this time it will be best viewed from sites east of the Mississippi, where the pair will be higher in the sky.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for occult
Adjective
Speaking of infernal-sounding, pay close attention around the 4:30 mark here, and witness the occult-metal mastery of Mercyful Fate riffsmith Hank Shermann, abetted by his trusty partner Michael Denner.
—Hank Shteamer, SPIN, 24 Jan. 2023
It’s a determinedly non-jokey supernatural thriller in which a group of Adelaide teens get in way over their heads playing an occult party game.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 22 Jan. 2023
Verb
When To See The ‘snow Moon’ Occult Regulus Just a day after the full wolf supermoon, the near-full moon will occult Regulus for about an hour, as seen from the eastern half of North America.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
April 25: The moon will occult Regulus again at approximately 8:30 P.M. (depending on your location), though this time it will be best viewed from sites east of the Mississippi, where the pair will be higher in the sky.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for occult
Recent Examples of Synonyms for occult
Adjective
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Many joked that the clip explained years of mysterious toy discoveries beneath their own furniture.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
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Unfortunately, Grace can’t see into the mysterious, opaque little organisms until a dead one becomes translucent.—
Deana L. Weibel,
The Conversation,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Event-betting markets flourish in ambiguous or unevenly-enforced legal environments.—
Kelli María Korducki,
thehustle.co,
3 Apr. 2026
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War is about politics—and therefore, objectives, which are particularly political, are often ambiguous and subject to change.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Now, though, with the widespread circulation of magic manuals, grimoires, and related compendia—with the recording, on paper, of words, spells, histories, stories—witchcraft has taken an irreversible step into the exoteric realm.—
Kristen Roupenian,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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The Avs, by winning this game in regulation, reduced their magic number to win the Central Division and the top seed in the Western Conference to two points earned or two lost by the Stars.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The rise of high-frequency trading convinced us that everything is priced in instantly, obscuring pockets of friction.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
31 Mar. 2026
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Sheets appear to be covering the front cockpit window, obscuring what would normally be the pilots’ forward view.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Investigators later linked the device to materials recovered from Zheng’s home and a burner phone used to place a cryptic 911 call warning about the bomb.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
3 Apr. 2026
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The news arrives after months of Rodrigo teasing new music, most recently a cryptic hotline message that alluded to this year’s pink moon, which occurred on April 2.—
Angie Martoccio,
Rolling Stone,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The mystic chords that bind us together matter more than any policy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Mar. 2026
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Operating within those parameters, the mystic outlands trend extends to some of the world’s most mesmerizing corners.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Life slows down here in the most magical of ways.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 Apr. 2026
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The original series ran on Disney Channel from 2007 to 2012, following the Russo family as its three siblings navigated the challenges of adolescence while mastering their magical abilities.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Two pumps of product managed to do the trick for my full face, and suddenly my hyperpigmentation on my cheek was concealed.—
Vogue,
Vogue,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Shoplifting more than $100 by concealing merchandise.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Occult.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occult. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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