riddle 1 of 2

noun

ˈri-dᵊl How to pronounce riddle (audio)
Definition of riddlenext
as in mystery
something hard to understand or explain his motives for starting an argument with the coach were a complete riddle

Synonyms & Similar Words

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riddle

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to drill
to make a hole or series of holes in several signs along the highway were riddled by buckshot

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to penetrate
to spread throughout the newspaper exposé revealed a gaming commission that is riddled with corruption

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun riddle differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of riddle are enigma, mystery, problem, and puzzle. While all these words mean "something which baffles or perplexes," riddle suggests an enigma or problem involving paradox or apparent contradiction.

the riddle of the reclusive pop star

When might enigma be a better fit than riddle?

While the synonyms enigma and riddle are close in meaning, enigma applies to utterance or behavior that is very difficult to interpret.

his suicide remains an enigma

When is mystery a more appropriate choice than riddle?

The words mystery and riddle are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mystery applies to what cannot be fully understood by reason or less strictly to whatever resists or defies explanation.

the mystery of the stone monoliths

When could problem be used to replace riddle?

The synonyms problem and riddle are sometimes interchangeable, but problem applies to a question or difficulty calling for a solution or causing concern.

problems created by high technology

Where would puzzle be a reasonable alternative to riddle?

In some situations, the words puzzle and riddle are roughly equivalent. However, puzzle applies to an enigma or problem that challenges ingenuity for its solution.

the thief's motives were a puzzle for the police

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 riddle
Noun
Whether the brand promise of independence survives a business model built on agent territory sales is one of the next riddles for the housing market to solve. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2026 Compose a Riddle Leave them a riddle or brain teaser in their lunch box and challenge them to figure it out on their own. — Sarah Scott, Parents, 8 Aug. 2026
Verb
But asteroids and comets have also bombarded Mercury, riddling it with impact craters, much like the pockmarked surface of Earth’s moon. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026 There were respected former Metro homicide detectives Brent Becker and Dan Long, both gone gray, who had carried the burden of the unsolved murder, one riddled with conflicted characters on all sides. — John L. Smith, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for riddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riddle
  1. mystery
  2. drill
  3. penetrate
  4. puzzle
  5. pierce
  6. suffuse
  7. enigma
  8. punch
Noun
  • The Sox’s pitching plans are a daily mystery, and worries over Grant Taylor’s right arm falling off have become nightly debates in South Side bars.
    — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Lucy’s constant sense of invention sometimes falters under the album’s new, megawatt spotlight, lacking the enticing mystery that gives their best music its power.
    — H.D. Angel, Pitchfork, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of mystery
Verb
  • Santos and others had drilled with limited results but couldn’t replicate the American formula.
    — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Corsair drilled the inner portion of its 200mm fan frames to screw directly onto the rails when they are set at their 140mm position.
    — Thomas Soderstrom, PC Magazine, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of drill
Verb
  • Low-band frequencies can travel long distances and penetrate dense structures.
    — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The Booster mode is designed to enhance the absorption of your skin-care products, helping active ingredients penetrate more effectively into the upper layers of the skin.
    — Shani Cohen, Glamour, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of penetrate
Noun
  • Of course, if the trivia category is not your preferred flavor — as was the case for me with the legal terms in this puzzle — then the cookie dough lode can feel more like freezer burn to hack at with a spoon.
    — Sean McGowan, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Unfortunately, Jenna sucks at puzzles, and Christian (who the editors are still not allowing to talk) is great at them.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of puzzle
Verb
  • The sound of jackhammering in the Horsches’ backyard pierced the otherwise quiet street Wednesday afternoon.
    — Danny Freeman, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Another piece sliced through his salivary gland before bouncing off his jaw and piercing the back of his neck, severing an artery and embedding in a vertebra.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of pierce
Verb
  • This is a book suffused with beauty, but climate emergency is its undercurrent.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The spikes suffuse the air with a hard to describe but palpable dread.
    — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of suffuse
Noun
  • Why resveratrol can have such varying effects has remained a scientific enigma.
    — Sajish Mathew, The Conversation, 7 Oct. 2026
  • PBHs could help resolve other enigmas, too, for instance by acting as seeds for the rapid growth of supermassive black holes in the early universe.
    — Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of enigma
Verb
  • During the scuffle, a loud smack is heard as the officer who shoved her appears to punch her in the face.
    — Suzanne Gamboa, NBC news, 7 Oct. 2026
  • His pass set and movements looked more like an art than someone who punched people for a living.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of punch

Phrases Containing riddle

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ridding
riddle
riddled
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Cite this Entry

“Riddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riddle. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on riddle

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about riddle

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