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cryptic

[krip-tik] / ˈkrɪp tɪk /


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.

The lower courts would assume they still had to follow that precedent until it was overruled, rather than guess what a cryptic shadow docket order meant.

From Slate • Jun. 1, 2026

There are romantic ruins, secret passageways and cryptic clues to hidden treasure.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

Times reporters Jodi Kantor and Adam Liptak have pinpointed a winter night in 2016 as the turning point, when the justices “issued a cryptic, one paragraph ruling” on Barack Obama’s Clean Power Plan.

From Salon • Apr. 22, 2026

He punctuated a day of conflicting messaging with a cryptic social media post: “Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!”

From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026

Several such passages are starred and highlighted in the dog-eared text, the margins filled with cryptic notes printed in McCandless s distinc-tive hand.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer




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