mysterious
gb/mɪstˈɪɹiəs/ us/mɪstˈɪɹiəs/
B1
English
~ 9800
rejtélyes, titokzatos, titkolózó, rejtélyeskedő, sejtelmes, kísérteties, misztikus
B1
1
rejtélyes
B1
titokzatos
B1
Usage pattern:
[something] is mysterious
There was a mysterious light moving across the sky.
Egy rejtélyes fény mozgott az égen.
Police are investigating the mysterious disappearance of the hiker.
A rendőrség a túrázó rejtélyes eltűnését vizsgálja.
For some mysterious reason, the computer suddenly started working again.
The cause of the fire remains mysterious.
The letter was written in a mysterious code that no one could read.
Learner examples
The old house looks mysterious at night.
A régi ház éjszaka titokzatosnak tűnik.
She got a mysterious phone call and did not know who it was from.
Kapott egy rejtélyes telefonhívást, és nem tudta, ki hívta.
The car stopped for a mysterious reason.
There was a mysterious sound outside my window.
His sudden change of mood was mysterious to his friends.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "mysterious" with "suspicious". "Mysterious" means something is hard to understand or explain and may be neutral or even positive. "Suspicious" means you think something is wrong or bad.
Meaning
hard to understand or explain
Collocations
mysterious disappearance
|mysterious circumstances
|mysterious illness
|mysterious noise
|mysterious figure
|for some mysterious reason
Synonyms
puzzling (Emphasizes causing confusion or difficulty in understanding.)
|
enigmatic (More formal and literary, often used for people, art, or messages that are hard to interpret.)
|
inexplicable (Stresses that no explanation seems possible.)
Antonyms
obvious (Easy to see or understand; the opposite of hard to explain.)
|
clear (Easy to understand; not confusing or strange.)
Themes
daily life
|thinking
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Not easy to understand or explain; strange in a way that makes you wonder.
Not easily understood, explained, or identified; strange or puzzling.
B2
2
Usage pattern:
[someone] is mysterious about [something]
He was very mysterious about where he was going that night.
Nagyon titkolózott azzal kapcsolatban, hogy hová megy aznap este.
She gave me a mysterious smile and refused to explain what she meant.
Sejtelmesen rám mosolygott, és nem volt hajlandó elmagyarázni, mit akart ezzel mondani.
The company has been mysterious about the details of the new project.
I always found her a bit mysterious; you never really knew what she was thinking.
They are being mysterious for now, but they promise a big announcement soon.
Learner examples
My boss is mysterious about his plans for the team.
A főnököm titkolózik a csapatra vonatkozó terveivel kapcsolatban.
She is a mysterious person and does not talk much about her life.
Titkolózó ember, és nem sokat beszél az életéről.
He smiled in a mysterious way and walked away.
The actor stayed mysterious and did not answer any personal questions.
Our teacher was mysterious about the surprise trip.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "mysterious" when they only mean "quiet" or "shy". "Mysterious" suggests that someone is hiding something or keeping people guessing, not just that they speak little.
Meaning
deliberately secretive or vague
Collocations
a mysterious smile
|a mysterious stranger
|be mysterious about [plans]
|seem mysterious
|act mysterious
Synonyms
secretive (Focuses on hiding information; less about curiosity or romance.)
|
enigmatic (Often used for people whose thoughts or intentions are hard to read, with a slightly romantic or artistic tone.)
Antonyms
open (Willing to share thoughts and information; the opposite of hiding things.)
|
transparent (Very clear about motives and actions; nothing is hidden.)
Themes
relationships
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Acting in a way that hides information and makes other people curious.
Behaving in a secretive or vague way that makes other people curious or suspicious.
B2
LITERARY
3
Usage pattern:
a mysterious [place/atmosphere/landscape]
A narrow path led us into a dark, mysterious forest.
Egy keskeny ösvény vezetett be minket a sötét, sejtelmes erdőbe.
The ruins have a mysterious beauty, especially in the evening light.
A romoknak sejtelmes szépségük van, különösen az esti fényben.
There was something mysterious about the old castle on the hill.
Soft music gave the room a mysterious, almost dreamlike atmosphere.
The film is set in a mysterious land beyond the mountains.
Learner examples
We walked through a mysterious forest at night.
Éjszaka egy sejtelmes erdőn sétáltunk keresztül.
The island looked mysterious in the thick fog.
A sziget sejtelmesnek tűnt a sűrű ködben.
The old building has a mysterious atmosphere.
The story takes place in a mysterious city under the sea.
The lake was quiet and mysterious before sunrise.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this more atmospheric, literary sense with the basic "hard to understand" sense. Here, the focus is on a special, strange feeling or mood, often in stories or descriptions of places.
Meaning
having an eerie, magical atmosphere
Collocations
mysterious forest
|mysterious land
|mysterious atmosphere
|mysterious powers
|mysterious forces
Synonyms
otherworldly (Emphasizes not seeming to belong to the normal world.)
|
eerie (Strange in a way that makes you feel slightly afraid.)
|
magical (Suggests wonder and enchantment rather than fear.)
Antonyms
ordinary (Normal and not special; nothing strange or magical.)
|
familiar (Well known and comfortable; not strange or unknown.)
Themes
nature
|art
|literature
|core_vocabulary
|arts_entertainment
Definition
Looking or feeling strange and special, like something from another world or from magic.
Having a strange, powerful, or slightly unreal quality that suggests the unknown, magic, or the supernatural.
Grammar
Dictionary form
mysterious
IPA
GB/mɪstˈɪɹiəs/
US/mɪstˈɪɹiəs/
Syllables & stress
mys - ter - i - ous (4 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ter)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: mysterious
Word family
Expressions
a mysterious stranger
1/ə mɪstˈɪɹiəs stɹˈeɪnd͡ʒɚ/
fixed phrase
unknown, secretive person
Someone you do not know who appears and does not tell you much about themselves, often in a story or movie.
Examples
- In the first chapter, a mysterious stranger arrives in the village.
- A mysterious stranger offered to help us, then disappeared.
- She fell in love with a mysterious stranger she met on the train.
for some mysterious reason
1/fɚ sˈʌm mɪstˈɪɹiəs ɹˈizən/
fixed phrase
for an unknown reason
Used when you do not know or cannot explain the reason for something.
Examples
- For some mysterious reason, my phone will not charge today.
- The children, for some mysterious reason, were suddenly very quiet.
- For some mysterious reason, the train was completely empty.
God works in mysterious ways
1/ɡˈɑd wˈɚks ˈɪn mɪstˈɪɹiəs wˈeɪz/
idiom
God's actions are hard to understand
Things that happen, especially bad or surprising things, may be part of God's plan, even if we cannot understand why.
Examples
- After losing his job, he tried to stay positive, saying, "God works in mysterious ways."
- When they finally met again by chance, her grandmother smiled and said, "God works in mysterious ways."
- Some people explain unexpected changes in life by saying that God works in mysterious ways.
in mysterious ways
1/ˈɪn mɪstˈɪɹiəs wˈeɪz/
fixed phrase
in a way hard to explain
In a way that people do not understand or cannot easily explain.
Examples
- History often repeats itself in mysterious ways.
- Technology can change our lives in mysterious ways.
- The mind heals in mysterious ways after a shock.
under mysterious circumstances
1/ˈʌndɚ mɪstˈɪɹiəs sˈɚkəmstˌænsɪz/
fixed phrase
in unclear, puzzling situations
Used when something happens and many important details are not known or are strange.
Examples
- The famous painting disappeared under mysterious circumstances.
- He died under mysterious circumstances while traveling abroad.
- The company closed under mysterious circumstances that were never fully explained.