Cryptic: meaning, example and synonyms
Crypticadj. Having a hidden or mysterious meaning; puzzling and obscure.
Example
The scribe's marginal notes are so cryptic that scholars still disagree over whether they record astronomical data or mere doodles.
- Part of speech
- adjective
- Synonyms
- enigmatic, mysterious, obscure, puzzling
- Antonyms
- clear, plain, straightforward, transparent
- Memory tip
- Greek kryptos = hidden, as in crypt.
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Check yourself: Cryptic in context
The explorer's final diary entry was ______, consisting of a few abbreviations and a sketch that might be a mountain ridge or merely a scribble.
Answer: cryptic. Abbreviations and an unreadable sketch make the entry puzzling and obscure: cryptic. Unrivaled (unmatched), obtrusive (intrusive) and contentious (disputed) don't describe hard-to-read notes.
Puzzle enthusiasts spent months decoding the ______ clues in the riddle book, each pointing to another riddle rather than to an answer.
Answer: cryptic. Clues needing months of decoding are mysterious and obscure: cryptic. Immutable (unchanging), unrivaled (unmatched) and contentious (disputed) don't explain why decoding is needed.