noun B1 Intermediate Uncommon

riddle

RIH-duhl

Riddle (noun) means a question or statement phrased puzzlingly, meant to be solved for fun or as a test of wit. Example: “The sphinx asked travellers a riddle before letting them pass.”

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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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

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."

Origin: Old English

Synonyms

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screen penetrate enigma diffuse conundrum imbue pervade permeate brain-teaser interpenetrate

Related words

cover wall click bottom screen spread net display

Rhymes for riddle

middle fiddle widdle diddle Biddle twiddle griddle

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Frequently asked questions

What does “riddle” mean?

The word “riddle” means a question or statement phrased puzzlingly, meant to be solved for fun or as a test of wit. In plain terms, a tricky puzzle-question, a coarse sieve, or (as a verb) to fill something full of holes or problems.

How do you pronounce “riddle”?

“Riddle” is pronounced RIH-duhl (/ˈɹɪdəl/ in IPA).

How do you use “riddle” in a sentence?

Here is “riddle” used in a sentence: “The sphinx asked travellers a riddle before letting them pass.”

What part of speech is “riddle”?

Depending on how it is used, “riddle” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “riddle” come from?

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

Is “riddle” a common word?

“Riddle” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

How many meanings does “riddle” have?

“Riddle” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a question or statement phrased puzzlingly, meant to be solved for fun or as a test of wit.

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