mysterious

adjective

mys·​te·​ri·​ous mi-ˈstir-ē-əs How to pronounce mysterious (audio)
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
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.
Four thousand years ago, however, Crete was also a crossroads dominated by a mysterious and largely still poorly understood Bronze Age culture that predated classical Greece. Bruce Dorminey, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025 The movie is led by Tom Hiddleston as the titular, mysterious Chuck Krantz, with a supporting cast that includes Mark Hamill, Mia Sara, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Matthew Lillard, Annalise Basso and Kate Siegel. Jen Juneau, People.com, 6 June 2025 Goggins played the mysterious Rick, a man with a shady past. Martha Ross, Mercury News, 5 June 2025 After Weyland-Yutani’s spaceship collides into Prodigy City, Wendy and the other hybrids encounter mysterious life forms more terrifying than anyone could have ever imagined. James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 5 June 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Mysterious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mysterious. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on mysterious

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