Meaning & use
enigmatic
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Meaning
adjectivecomparable
Hard to understand or read because it is mysterious, puzzling or deliberately unclear.
Grammar: Fits people, smiles, remarks and messages: an enigmatic smile.
Patterns
- an enigmatic smile
- enigmatic about something
The painter gave an enigmatic smile and refused to explain the picture.
His enigmatic note left everyone guessing what he meant.
She remained enigmatic about her plans for the summer.
Word forms
| comparative | more enigmatic |
|---|---|
| superlative | most enigmatic |
Common combinations
- an enigmatic smile
- The statue has an enigmatic smile.
- an enigmatic figure
- The founder was an enigmatic figure who rarely gave interviews.
- enigmatic message
- An enigmatic message appeared on the screen.
- remain enigmatic
- The author chose to remain enigmatic about the ending.
- an enigmatic character
- The film centers on an enigmatic character no one can read.
Synonyms and how they differ
- mysterious
- Mysterious is the broad everyday word, while enigmatic suggests a puzzle that invites interpretation.
- cryptic
- Cryptic describes words or messages with a hidden meaning, whereas enigmatic can describe people as well.
- inscrutable
- Inscrutable stresses that someone's thoughts cannot be read at all, which is stronger than enigmatic.
- puzzling
- Puzzling simply means confusing and lacks the intriguing, elusive tone of enigmatic.
Opposites
Word family
- enigma noun
- a person or thing that is a mystery
- enigmatically adverb
- in a mysterious or puzzling way
- enigmatical adjective
- an older variant of enigmatic
Commonly confused: enigmatic or enigma? enigmatic or dogmatic?
enigmatic vs enigma
Enigma is the noun for the mystery itself, while enigmatic is the adjective describing something puzzling.
enigmatic vs dogmatic
Dogmatic means firmly insisting that one's opinions are correct, which is the opposite of mysterious and unclear.
Practice
The detective gave an ___ reply that left the reporters unsure what he meant.
Choose one answer.
Enigmatic means puzzling and hard to interpret. Emphatic, energetic and enthusiastic describe strength, vigor or eagerness and would not leave listeners unsure.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “enigmatic”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.