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Definitions

mystery

[mis-tuh-ree, -tree] / ˈmɪs tə ri, -tri /
NOUN
puzzle, secret
Synonyms
STRONGEST
conundrum enigma problem question riddle secrecy subtlety thriller
STRONG
abstruseness charade chiller cliffhanger crux cryptogram difficulty grabber inscrutability mystification occult oracle perplexity poser puzzlement rebus rune sphinx stickler stumper teaser twister whodunit why
WEAK
brainteaser braintwister closed book inscrutableness mindboggler sixty-four thousand dollar question tough nut to crack
Antonyms
WEAK
known understanding

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

There was confusion over which buttons to press as they wrestled with the mystery of how to reload a SmarTrip card—all of it intensified by the prospect of missing their train.

From Slate • Apr. 4, 2026

But the mystery proved too compelling to ignore.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

Be it a hoax or an undiscovered species, the mystery and mythology around Bigfoot has captured people's imaginations for decades.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

“With that action of stepping on the fumi-e, Rodrigues is basically embracing the mystery of life and death, which is what Jesus is,” says Mr. Scorsese.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

He must be thinking either that I have presented him with a mystery with an impossible solution or that the whole thing is entirely in my head.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.