Enigmatic: meaning, definitions and examples

Used to describe something or someone that is difficult to understand or interpret, often in an intriguing or captivating way.

• Her enigmatic smile left everyone wondering what she was thinking
• The artist's enigmatic paintings drew much attention at the gallery

Ideal for describing something or someone that arouses curiosity or suspense, often with an element of the unknown or beyond human understanding.

• The old house seemed quiet and mysterious at night
• She had a mysterious aura that fascinated everyone around her

Best suited for situations where something is difficult to understand or explain, often causing confusion and requiring effort to figure out.

• The puzzling disappearance of the key left everyone bewildered
• His reaction to the news was puzzling and hard to predict

Best for scenarios where the meaning is hidden, secretive, or deliberately concealed, often related to codes or secret messages. Can have a slightly negative tone due to the difficulty in understanding.

• He left a cryptic message that no one could decipher
• The scientist's notes were cryptic and baffling to his colleagues

Appropriate for situations where something can be understood in more than one way, often leading to confusion or uncertainty.

• The lawyer's ambiguous statement left the jury confused
• The instructions were so ambiguous that nobody knew what to do