noun

riddle

RIH-duhl

noun

A question or statement phrased puzzlingly, meant to be solved for fun or as a test of wit.

"The sphinx asked travellers a riddle before letting them pass."

"Can you solve this riddle: what has keys but no locks?"

A coarse sieve used to separate finer material from coarser material, such as sifting gravel from sand.

"The gardener shook the soil through a riddle to remove stones."

verb

To pierce something with many holes, or to fill it thoroughly with something, often something damaging.

"The old fence was riddled with woodworm."

"The wall was riddled with bullet holes."

How to Use Riddle

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA tricky puzzle-question, a coarse sieve, or (as a verb) to fill something full of holes or problems.

Common pairings

solve a riddle riddled with holes riddled with errors

Word Forms

riddled past tense, riddled past tense, riddled past tense, riddles plural, riddles plural, riddles plural, riddles singular, riddles singular, riddles singular

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The sphinx asked travellers a _____ before letting them pass.

Etymology

From Old English rædels, meaning "counsel" or "puzzle," related to rede ("advice") — the same root that gives us the phrase "read someone's mind."

Rhymes for riddle

middle fiddle widdle diddle Biddle twiddle griddle

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