as in esoteric
difficult for one of ordinary knowledge or intelligence to understand
geochemistry is a recondite subject
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Recent Examples of recondite
But a few key paragraphs within the 88-page filing mention the exclusion and social shaming of non-iPhone users confined inside green chat bubbles, distinguishing this case from some of the more recondite explanations of tech market competition in recent years.
—
Lauren Goode, WIRED, 24 Mar. 2024
There are familiar words describing nature particular to the U.S., like prairie, skunk, coyote and chipmunk, but also more recondite ones, like catawba (a species of grape and type of sparkling wine), catawampous (fierce, destructive) and cottondom (the region in which cotton is grown).
—Sarah Ogilvie, WSJ, 11 Nov. 2023
Other efforts required more recondite statistical analysis.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2023
Pierre Boulez — like Bernstein, a composer, though in a more recondite modernist mode — innovated with repertory mixtures and concert formats.
—Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for recondite
Lauren Goode, WIRED, 24 Mar. 2024
There are familiar words describing nature particular to the U.S., like prairie, skunk, coyote and chipmunk, but also more recondite ones, like catawba (a species of grape and type of sparkling wine), catawampous (fierce, destructive) and cottondom (the region in which cotton is grown).
—Sarah Ogilvie, WSJ, 11 Nov. 2023
Other efforts required more recondite statistical analysis.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2023
Pierre Boulez — like Bernstein, a composer, though in a more recondite modernist mode — innovated with repertory mixtures and concert formats.
—Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for recondite
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recondite
Adjective
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As esoteric as its collection may seem, the bookstore itself makes exploration approachable.—
Kat Chen,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Apr. 2026
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Afshar has been returning to Iran’s southern islands of Hormuz and Qeshm since 2015, photographing the land, its residents and the invisible, esoteric forces that shape life there — the winds, which locals believe to be powerful entities.—
Adam Pourahmadi,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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These advancements demonstrate the technology’s rapid evolution from basic digital navigation to complex physical interaction, offering patients a path to re-engage with society in profound new ways.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Apr. 2026
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The film will chart Butcher’s life on and off the pitch, including the profound impact of losing his son, as well as his subsequent work with peer-support organization Combat2Coffee.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Recondite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recondite. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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