riddle

1 of 4

noun (1)

rid·​dle ˈri-dᵊl How to pronounce riddle (audio)
1
: a mystifying, misleading, or puzzling question posed as a problem to be solved or guessed : conundrum, enigma
2
: something or someone difficult to understand

riddle

2 of 4

verb (1)

riddled; riddling ˈrid-liŋ How to pronounce riddle (audio)
ˈri-dᵊl-iŋ

intransitive verb

: to speak in or propound riddles

transitive verb

1
: to find the solution of : explain
2
: to set a riddle for : puzzle
riddler
ˈrid-lər How to pronounce riddle (audio)
ˈri-dᵊl-ər
noun

riddle

3 of 4

noun (2)

: a coarse sieve

riddle

4 of 4

verb (2)

riddled; riddling ˈrid-liŋ How to pronounce riddle (audio)
ˈri-dᵊl-iŋ

transitive verb

1
: to separate (something, such as grain from chaff) with a riddle : screen
2
: to pierce with many holes
riddled the car with bullets
3
: to spread through : permeate
a book riddled with errors

Did you know?

Riddle Me This

Riddle comes from an Old English word meaning "opinion" or "conjecture" that is related to a verb meaning "to interpret."

Choose the Right Synonym for riddle

mystery, problem, enigma, riddle, puzzle mean something which baffles or perplexes.

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

problem applies to a question or difficulty calling for a solution or causing concern.

problems created by high technology

enigma applies to utterance or behavior that is very difficult to interpret.

his suicide remains an enigma

riddle suggests an enigma or problem involving paradox or apparent contradiction.

the riddle of the reclusive pop star

puzzle applies to an enigma or problem that challenges ingenuity for its solution.

the thief's motives were a puzzle for the police

Examples of riddle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
All these little riddles funnel into the big one: In rap music, words perpetually become sounds in ways that can defy their meanings. Chris Richards, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 So this was the riddle: Einstein's Riddle There are 5 houses in five different colors. Erik Kain, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 It’s said this riddle was created by Albert Einstein—hence the name. Erik Kain, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 By then the man had disappeared into the landscape, like the last line of a riddle. Molly Langmuir, Rolling Stone, 2 Feb. 2024 Thus, a story about puzzles begins with something of a riddle: What do military rifle stocks, American flags and jigsaw puzzles have in common? David Frese, Kansas City Star, 24 Jan. 2024 Finding the inflammatory signature — recognizable markings of a disease within the body — is like solving a riddle. Julia Daye, Miami Herald, 24 Jan. 2024 To many of us, this isn’t a question so much as a riddle, like a Buddhist kōan. Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 27 Jan. 2024 No sector seems to have an answer to this economic riddle. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 15 Dec. 2023
Verb
Tracing two years in the lives of Josefine, Luca and Ask also meant accompanying them in a period of time riddled with the anxieties of impending adulthood. Savina Petkova, Variety, 11 Mar. 2024 Then on March 6 eight teenagers waiting to take a city bus home after school were shot, leaving a bus riddled with bullet holes. Philip Marcelo, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Mar. 2024 Then on Wednesday eight teenagers waiting to take a city bus home after school were shot, leaving a bus riddled with bullet holes. Philip Marcelo, Quartz, 7 Mar. 2024 Sacramento County sheriff’s deputies went about 3:30 p.m. to the 5700 block of Shadow Creek Drive for a welfare check and found three dead adults, all riddled with bullets. Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 22 Feb. 2024 Reimold never matched his promising rookie campaign in a career riddled with injuries. Paul McCardell, Baltimore Sun, 14 Feb. 2024 Businesses, particularly small ones, are now burdened with an onerous financial yoke, forced to navigate a landscape riddled with overreaching government regulations. Patrick M. Brenner, National Review, 2 Feb. 2024 People have mostly stopped falling for the stereotypical phishing scams like the Nigerian prince or someone offering a lucrative investment opportunity, where the offer is too good to be true and the email itself riddled with typos. Paige McGlauflin, Fortune, 29 Jan. 2024 Some are riddled with economic anxiety and need to work multiple jobs to pay bills. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'riddle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English redels, ridel, from Old English rǣdelse opinion, conjecture, riddle; akin to Old English rǣdan to interpret — more at read

Noun (2)

Middle English ridel, going back to Old English hriddel (attested once), alteration (by dissimilation or suffix substitution) of hridder, hrīder, going back to Germanic *hrīdra- (whence also Old Saxon hrīdra "sieve," Old High German rītera), going back to Indo-European *krei̯(h1)̯-dhro- or *krei̯(h1)̯-tro- (whence Latin crībrum "sieve," Old Irish críathar, Old Welsh cruitr "winnowing fan"), from *krei̯(h1)- "sift, separate" + *-dhro-, *-tro-, suffixes of instrument — more at certain entry 1

Note: See note at acetabulum.

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

1571, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of riddle was before the 12th century

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Dictionary Entries Near riddle

Cite this Entry

“Riddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/riddle. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

riddle

1 of 4 noun
rid·​dle ˈrid-ᵊl How to pronounce riddle (audio)
1
: a baffling, misleading, or puzzling question presented as a problem to be solved or guessed : conundrum
2
: something or someone difficult to understand

riddle

2 of 4 verb
riddled; riddling ˈrid-liŋ How to pronounce riddle (audio)
-ᵊl-iŋ
1
: to find the answer for a riddle or mystery
2
: to create a riddle for : mystify
3
: to speak in riddles
riddler
-lər How to pronounce riddle (audio)
-ᵊl-ər
noun

riddle

3 of 4 noun
: a coarse sieve

riddle

4 of 4 verb
riddled; riddling ˈrid-liŋ How to pronounce riddle (audio)
-ᵊl-iŋ
1
: to sift or separate with or as if with a riddle
2
a
: to pierce with many holes
riddled the car with bullets
b
: to spread through
a book riddled with mistakes
Etymology

Noun

Old English rǣdelse "opinion, riddle"

Noun

Old English hriddel "a coarse sieve"

More from Merriam-Webster on riddle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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