Enigmatic: Definition & Meaning for the SAT
⚡️ ENIGMATIC most nearly means: (A) energetic; (B) ancient; (C) mysterious; (D) hostile. 👉 Answer + examples, pronunciation, and explanation inside.
📣 TL;DR: Enigmatic means puzzling or mysterious. We often use the word enigma to describe Mona Lisa's smile because people say that the viewer can't tell what she's thinking.
ℹ️ Part of Speech of Enigmatic
enigmatic is an ADJECTIVE.
🗣️ Pronunciation of Enigmatic
enigmatic is pronounced /ˌɛn.ɪɡ.ˈmæt.ɪk/ or en-ig-MAT-ik.
📚️ Definition of Enigmatic
Difficult to interpret or understand; mysterious, puzzling, or ambiguous in nature, often deliberately so. Example: an enigmatic acquaintance who reveals little personal detail.
📰 Examples of Enigmatic
Here are some examples of the word enigmatic:
The enigmatic Mona Lisa perplexes art historians and casual viewers alike—is she smiling? Smirking? Or maybe just tired?
The tech leader cultivated an enigmatic public persona that ultimately defined his actual personality.
Winston Churchill on Russia's (to him) enigmatic foreign policy in 1939: “I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key. That key is Russian national interest.” 🕵️
✅ Quiz answer
Answer to the question above:
C, mysterious. Explanations: A doesn't work; that word could be energetic or vigorous. B could be ancient or archaic. D doesn't work; hostile means unfriendly or aggressive (or even a previous word, bellicose.