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.

Ergo, the mystery at the beginning of the show’s second season is, “What the heck is going on with “Patience”?

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026

The findings, published in Nature Ecology and Evolution, offer a possible solution to a long-standing paleontological mystery.

From Science Daily • Jun. 10, 2026

The suburban malaise subgenre of murder mystery is thriving, from “Big Little Lies” to “All Her Fault.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

Warsh’s confirmation testimony cut through the fog: inflation is not an act of God, a shipping-container mystery, or a Gulf headline.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 6, 2026

One would be remiss to neglect the greatest unsolved mystery to strike the Yiddish stage, the fate of Molly Lewis.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny

Vocabulary lists containing mystery

September Words

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Literary Genres - Introductory

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Reading: Literature - Literary Genres - Introductory

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