Cryptic — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

Cryptic (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

1. being beyond one's powers to know, understand, or explain

   "puzzled by the cryptic e-mail message left on his computer"

   similar: arcane, deep, enigmatic, impenetrable, inscrutable, mysterious, mystic, occult, uncanny
   related: dark, darkling, fuzzy, murky, obscure, shadowy, vague, ambiguous, equivocal, imponderable, incomprehensible, unfathomable, unintelligible, unsearchable, inexplicable, unaccountable, unexplainable, unanswerable, unknowable, metaphysical, mystical, numinous, supernatural, abstruse, esoteric, recondite, baffling, befuddling, bewildering, confounding, confusing, disorienting, mystifying, perplexing, puzzling
   near: fathomable, intelligible, understandable, apparent, clear, evident, manifest, obvious, open-and-shut, palpable, patent, perspicuous, plain, straightforward, transparent, unambiguous, unequivocal, unmistakable

2. having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning

   "the oracle offered only cryptic predictions that could be interpreted any number of different ways"

   similar: ambiguous, arcane, dark, deep, Delphic, double-edged, elliptical, enigmatic, equivocal, fuliginous, inscrutable, murky, mysterious, mystic, nebulous, obscure, occult, opaque
   related: abstruse, esoteric, recondite, cloaked, concealed, disguised, masked, shrouded, beclouded, bedimmed, befogged, clouded, cloudy, dim, faint, foggy, fuzzy, hazy, indistinct, indistinguishable, misty, muddy, obfuscatory, obnubilated, obscurant, shaded, shadowlike, shadowy, sphinxlike, indefinite, inexact, inexplicit, noncommittal, questionable, unclear, uncertain, undefined, undetermined, vague, impenetrable, incomprehensible, indecipherable, inexplicable, eerie, uncanny, weird, impalpable, inappreciable, intangible, invisible, unanswerable, unknowable, baffling, bewildering, confounding, confusing, mystifying, perplexing, puzzling, unfathomable, circuitous, indirect, roundabout, complex, complicated, difficult, obtuse
   opposite: accessible, clear, nonambiguous, obvious, plain, unambiguous, unequivocal
   near: comprehensible, fathomable, intelligible, knowable, legible, pellucid, understandable, bright, distinct, evident, self-evident, self-explanatory, certain, firm, strong, sure, defined, determined, direct, straightforward, definite, exact, explicit, appreciable, palpable, tangible, visible, blatant, patent, unmistakable