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 with blood sacrifices.—
Robert Houston
Robert Houston
mysteriousness
noun
Synonyms
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
Actors Matthew McConaughey and Anthony Anderson were spotted in timepieces by Jacob & Co. and Audemars Piguet, respectively, while Steve Carrell rocked a mysterious Omega Speedmaster at the opening night of Uncle Vanya.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 27 Apr. 2024
His observations about the eccentric characters that populate the Kit Kat Club, like the mysterious Emcee and the British singer Sally Bowles, provide the groundwork for both the musical and his future novel.
—Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 26 Apr. 2024
Observations from Chandra have also revealed fluorescence on planets in the solar system, and where mysterious dark matter lurks in a cluster of galaxies.
—Briley Lewis, Popular Science, 25 Apr. 2024
Decades after the quake, and because of it, a mysterious fungus spread
The Great Alaska Earthquake is still helping solve scientific mysteries today.
—Christian Elliott, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Apr. 2024
The research, conducted between June 2018 and November 2022, examined former and active U.S. officials injured in mysterious incidents around the world associated with a cluster of symptoms known as Havana Syndrome.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2024
In one woman's mysterious drowning, signs of a national romance scam epidemic
What will a 5.55% high-yield savings account earn in 6 months?
—Jim Axelrod, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2024
Then again, scientists are unlikely to be able to resist that mysterious, weird complexity.
—Selena Simmons-Duffin, NPR, 15 Apr. 2024
Cabaret follows fictional American writer Clifford Bradshaw and his interactions with the eclectic characters at the seedy Kit Kat Club in Berlin, including the mysterious Emcee and English singer Sally Bowles, whom Clifford strikes up a romance.
—Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 14 Apr. 2024
Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 27 Apr. 2024
His observations about the eccentric characters that populate the Kit Kat Club, like the mysterious Emcee and the British singer Sally Bowles, provide the groundwork for both the musical and his future novel.
—Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 26 Apr. 2024
Observations from Chandra have also revealed fluorescence on planets in the solar system, and where mysterious dark matter lurks in a cluster of galaxies.
—Briley Lewis, Popular Science, 25 Apr. 2024
Decades after the quake, and because of it, a mysterious fungus spread
The Great Alaska Earthquake is still helping solve scientific mysteries today.
—Christian Elliott, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Apr. 2024
The research, conducted between June 2018 and November 2022, examined former and active U.S. officials injured in mysterious incidents around the world associated with a cluster of symptoms known as Havana Syndrome.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2024
In one woman's mysterious drowning, signs of a national romance scam epidemic
What will a 5.55% high-yield savings account earn in 6 months?
—Jim Axelrod, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2024
Then again, scientists are unlikely to be able to resist that mysterious, weird complexity.
—Selena Simmons-Duffin, NPR, 15 Apr. 2024
Cabaret follows fictional American writer Clifford Bradshaw and his interactions with the eclectic characters at the seedy Kit Kat Club in Berlin, including the mysterious Emcee and English singer Sally Bowles, whom Clifford strikes up a romance.
—Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 14 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mysterious.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near mysterious
Cite this Entry
“Mysterious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mysterious. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
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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