enigma

ɪˈnɪɡmənoun

What does enigma mean?

A person or thing that is hard to understand or explain.

Enigma, six ways

PlainA person or thing that is hard to understand or explain.
ADHDA mystery. Can’t figure it out. Maybe never will.
Gen ZSomeone you cannot read. No idea what they are thinking, ever.
MetaphorA locked diary with the key inside it.
FormalA person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand.
Like I’m 5Something nobody can figure out, like a riddle with no answer. That’s an enigma.

How to pronounce enigma

ih-NIG-muh/ɪˈnɪɡmə/

Enigma in a sentence

Even to his friends he remained an enigma.
How the cat got onto the roof remains an enigma.
The artist’s late work is an enigma to critics.

Synonyms for enigma

mysteryPlainer and wider.
puzzleSomething to be solved.
riddleA puzzle in words, or a person who seems one.

Enigma vs conundrum: An enigma is a mystery. A conundrum is a problem, usually a hard choice. The difference, in plain English.

Where enigma comes from

Greek. Ainigma, a riddle, from ainissesthai, to speak in riddles.

Good to know

Enigma suits people and things that resist understanding. The adjective is enigmatic, as in an enigmatic smile.

Enigma meaning, on a Gloss card: A person or thing that is hard to understand or explain.

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Enigma on one card: what it means, how to say it, and a sentence. Keep it, or pin it for later.

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Words like enigma

ineffable · juxtaposition · nebulous · ephemeral · eloquent · magnanimous · All 110 words

In: Words for ideas · SAT words