orphic

adjective

Definition of orphicnext
as in mystical

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of orphic Sonia Delaunay’s Electric Prisms (1913), with its titular nod to advances in electricity still relatively new at the time, underscores the decidedly urban tenor of Orphic painting in this regard. — Ara H. Merjian, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2019 Readers mystified by any of the author’s orphic lingo will find full explanations in the book’s extensive glossary. — Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 23 Aug. 2018 As if fearing that too lyrical an approach to such an orphic figure would result in incoherence, Gooch describes this poet’s life in a decidedly unpoetic way. — The Washington Post, The Denver Post, 20 Jan. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for orphic
  1. mystical
  2. mystic
  3. mysterious
  4. enigmatic
  5. uncanny
  6. inscrutable
  7. complex
  8. darkling
Adjective
  • Some people are even gravitating toward religious organizations and turning to mystical practices like psychics and love spells to find a partner.
    — Gili Malinsky, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Your new favorite bookshop is a mystical cocktail bar with a dragon.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of mystical
Adjective
  • Take The Night Veils, for example, which seeks to capture the spirit of the night through fragrances that can best be described as primal and mystic.
    — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Two translations—of poems by the Indian mystic Mirabai and the contemporary Romanian poet Radu Vancu—seek to inhabit and transcend the history that holds up the present.
    — Craig Morgan Teicher, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of mystic
Adjective
  • All the power of the government — investigative, technological, legal — has been thrown at finding these mysterious, diabolically clever ballot baddies.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
  • After all, what better place to reveal the mysterious professor’s identity than in the very magazine responsible for making the fictional detective an international sensation?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of mysterious
Adjective
  • Swamped by allegations of fraud, the actions of the company and its enigmatic CEO, Elizabeth Holmes, shone a harsh light on problems with scientific start-ups.
    — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 16 Oct. 2026
  • That's especially prevalent in the Oversized Graphic T-Shirt with enigmatic dates on the back -- those are already causing a stir in the fan community.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of enigmatic
Adjective
  • For many people, however, the presentation instead bears an uncanny and unfortunate resemblance to imagery used in Nazi-era Germany.
    — Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The man does seem to have an uncanny ability to pick projects that will have a long shelf life — everything from Up in Smoke and Harold and Maude to Singles, Steel Magnolias, Poison Ivy, and Contact.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of uncanny
Adjective
  • For example, black box uses the concept of an opaque container to give a clear structure to the concept of hidden or inscrutable inner workings.
    — Trent Wintermeier, The Conversation, 19 Oct. 2026
  • They are driven by the industry’s high and inscrutable prices.
    — Bob Herman, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of inscrutable
Adjective
  • Some also called for a reform of the university admissions system, seen by many as complex and unfair.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Survivorship care is designed to identify and address the complex needs of a cancer survivor beyond just the physical changes.
    — Marci Lee Nilsen, The Conversation, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of complex
Adjective
  • Its 19th-century spire lit up like a matchstick against the darkling sky, its tip cracking and plunging through the ceiling.
    — Michael Kimmelman, New York Times, 6 Dec. 2024
Definition of darkling

Browse Nearby Words

orphaned
orphic
orthodox
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Cite this Entry

“Orphic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/orphic. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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