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
  • Andrew’s research now largely focuses on how brain function is associated with various mental states—in particular, religious and mystical experiences.
    — Big Think, Big Think, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Venturing into the forest with her friend Curtis, Prue stumbles upon a mystical world of humans and talking animals, and must embark on a dangerous adventure to save her brother.
    — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of mystical
Adjective
  • The piece, inspired by the 12th-century polymathic mystic Saint Hildegard of Bingen, was skin-tinglingly breathy and slow, with long tones (played by Malone and her accompanist Stephen O’Malley) that rose up and swirled around the room.
    — Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Poetry of a Hindu mystic Kashmir gradually became a predominantly Muslim society after the Shah Mir dynasty came to power in the 14th century.
    — Peter Dziedzic, The Conversation, 30 July 2026
Definition of mystic
Adjective
  • But when they’re interrupted by the arrival of a mysterious beige van — the same one viewers may have spotted in the preceding episodes — Bret uses the opportunity to ask Terry to take him home.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Final Invasion begins when a mysterious UAP satellite crashes in the New Mexico desert.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of mysterious
Adjective
  • However, when the invite couple living upstairs from them — Hawk (Norton) and Piña (Cruz) — to dinner, the night takes a stranger turn with enigmatic couple than Joe and Angela expected.
    — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • At its center is Babe Bunyan, a towering, enigmatic axman whose search for identity and belonging drives the story toward an explosive conclusion.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of enigmatic
Adjective
  • An uncanny coincidence Unusually hot weather in Europe is the root cause of the biological problem.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The only thing consistent about the WNBA is its uncanny ability to get in its own way.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of uncanny
Adjective
  • The paper makes significant progress on an unresolved aspect of the inscrutable math equation that determines how the primes are distributed along the number line.
    — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The market’s message is often beguiling and inscrutable, with frequent overshoots and crowd-humiliating turnabouts that would be so satisfying to see coming in advance.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of inscrutable
Adjective
  • What is going right in Syria The legalities of transitional justice may be complex, but this verdict is still seen as a landmark moment for justice.
    — Paula Hancocks, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
  • But these are merely the opening chords in this complex orchestration.
    — Brad Japhe, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 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

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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 16 Aug. 2026.

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