hieroglyphic 1 of 2

noun

Definition of hieroglyphicnext
as in image
a pictorial character used in hieroglyphics The statue had an inscription written in Egyptian hieroglyphics.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

hieroglyphic

2 of 2

adjective

variants also hieroglyphical
1
as in incomprehensible

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pictographic

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 hieroglyphic
Noun
Running my fingers over the ancient hieroglyphics carved into the sarcophagus felt transgressive and delicious. — M. Leona Godin, AFAR Media, 3 Jan. 2025 But the mathematics underlying the chart is unfathomably complex, a combination of equations that make hieroglyphics seem self-explanatory. — Tom Siegfried, JSTOR Daily, 19 Dec. 2024
Adjective
The Rosetta Stone is inscribed with the same text in different scripts; Demotic, hieroglyphic and Greek. — Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 18 Sep. 2024 Think of each as equivalent to a hieroglyphic image. — Warren Cornwall, science.org, 5 July 2024 See All Example Sentences for hieroglyphic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hieroglyphic
  1. image
  2. incomprehensible
  3. likeness
  4. mysterious
  5. drawing
  6. puzzling
  7. iconographic
  8. icon
Noun
  • The feeling of the photographer’s vivid images were brought to life by a mix of smoky Port Ellen and sunny Clynelish.
    — Violet Goldstone, WWD, 18 Mar. 2025
  • Many people are used to watching entertainment on their cellphones, with vertical images that don’t require turning the phone sideways.
    — Schuyler Moore, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of image
Adjective
  • Upon agreement, their dialogue shifts to a series of sounds incomprehensible to humans.
    — Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
  • In a twist that’s almost incomprehensible today, the Chinese government even officially adopted the US State Department’s method for reporting air quality.
    — Zeyi Yang, WIRED, 5 Mar. 2025
Definition of incomprehensible
Noun
  • The Hawkeyes have struggled to attract elite talent because of their shallow pool of funds for name, image and likeness compensation, though McCaffery’s 2025 class is ranked fifth in the Big Ten by the 247Sports composite.
    — Eric Olson, Chicago Tribune, 14 Mar. 2025
  • The music, name and likeness of Notorious B.I.G. will soon have a new home as the late rapper’s estate is close to signing a deal with Primary Wave, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
    — Shirley Halperin for The Hollywood Reporter, Robb Report, 1 Mar. 2025
Definition of likeness
Adjective
  • After his first game since Feb. 26, Porziņģis detailed his long journey back from a mysterious illness.
    — Jay King, The Athletic, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Everyone is a suspect, and there’s a lot of buildup to finding out what happened at a fateful St. Patrick’s Day party 15 years prior — especially when Chelsea (Ilana Glazer) makes a mysterious reference to an incident that made the entire school ostracize her.
    — Marianne Eloise, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of mysterious
Noun
  • Tickets cost $2 and can be bought on the day of the drawing, but sales times vary by state.
    — Don Sweeney, Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2025
  • Powerball drawings are held on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday nights.
    — Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY, 9 Mar. 2025
Definition of drawing
Adjective
  • His dry market is quite puzzling, considering how many teams could use his services.
    — Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 13 Mar. 2025
  • My initial impression was rather puzzling—was this a hotel, a clinic, or a clinic disguised as a hotel?
    — Tiziana Cardini, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of puzzling
Adjective
  • Any internal organs removed during the process were typically placed in canopic jars, each featuring an iconographic lid with one of the four sons of the Egyptian god Horus to protect each organ.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN, 9 Nov. 2024
  • And unlike the cylinder seals, the hundreds of iconographic signs attributed to proto-cuneiform have only ever been found on tablets in southern Iraq.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024
Definition of iconographic
Noun
  • The imperious striker has now become the fastest player to reach 100 goal involvements in the Premier League, surpassing the longstanding record held by Premier League icon Alan Shearer.
    — Thomas Schlachter, CNN, 16 Mar. 2025
  • The short summary: Patrick drives snakes from Ireland and becomes a global icon; Brigid establishes Ireland’s first co-educational monastery and pioneers gender equality, yet remains in his shadow.
    — Gemma Allen, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025
Definition of icon

Browse Nearby Words

hieroglyphic
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Cite this Entry

“Hieroglyphic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hieroglyphic. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on hieroglyphic

Nglish: Translation of hieroglyphic for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular Features

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
dog-in-disguise
Rhyme Disguise Quiz Pair up words that look different but sound alike.
See All