inscrutable Hear it!

inscrutable Definition

in·scru·table (in skro̵̅o̅tə bəl)

adjective

that cannot be easily understood; completely obscure or mysterious; unfathomable; enigmatic

Etymology: ME < LL(Ec) inscrutabilis < L in-, not + scrutari, to search carefully, examine: see scrutiny

inscrutable Related Forms
in·scru′·tabil·ity noun in·scru·tably adverb
inscrutable Synonyms

inscrutable

modif.

incomprehensible, mysterious, impenetrable; see blank 2, difficult 2, mysterious 1, 2, secret 1. See syn. study at mysterious.

inscrutable Usage Examples

Modifying Another Word

  • quite: Difficult to know, quite inscrutable people, according to Nick from the embassy.
  • rather: The choreography seemed rather inscrutable to me, and devoid of dance interest.
  • often: A well-intentioned but often inscrutable treatise Schaeffer was a sincere, devout, extremely intelligent, and supremely compassionate man.
  • not: Their best songs are specific, not inscrutable; impassioned despite themselves.

Modifies a noun

  • mystery: The killer left no clues, and the murder remains an inscrutable mystery.
  • smile: The next day, Hamed turned up with a young man a relative from his village, who gave me an inscrutable smile.
  • reason: Sometimes God for his own inscrutable reasons witholds his face from us.
  • face: He was a native of Spain, with a smooth inscrutable face, and an extraordinary capacity for scenting hidden perils.
  • sphinx: Play as the inscrutable Sphinx - who must find jars containing the Mommy's organs ( ugh!
  • way: Like dreams they can be ignored or shape our lives in inscrutable ways.

Used with adjective complement

  • remain: The duke's room remained inscrutable behind its shutters.
  • seem: The choreography seemed rather inscrutable to me, and devoid of dance interest.
  • appear: Saturday 25th February 2006 You might appear less inscrutable as the day wears on - and more preoccupied.
  • look: The suave Carnarvon, and English gent with money to burn, backs Carter's quest while looking inscrutable in a hat.
inscrutable Quotes

When you notice a cat in profound meditation The reason, I tell you, is always the same: His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name: His ineffable effable Effanineffable Deep and inscrutable singular name.

—Eliot,T(homas) S(tearns)

Then, with that faint fleeting smile playing about his lips, he faced the firing squad; erect and motionless, proud and disdainful,Walter Mitty, the undefeated, inscrutable to the last.

—Thurber,James Grover

Browse dictionary entries near inscrutable

  1. inscription
  2. inscribe
  3. inscape
  4. insatiate
  5. insatiable
  6. insanity defense
  7. insanity
  8. insanitary
  9. insanely
  10. insane
  1. inseam
  2. insect
  3. insectarium
  4. insecticide
  5. insectifuge
  6. insectile
  7. insectivore
  8. insectivorous
  9. insecure
  10. insecurity