obscure

[ uhb-skyoor ]

adjective

, ob·scur·er, ob·scur·est.

1. (of meaning) not clear or plain; ambiguous, vague, or uncertain:

   an obscure sentence in the contract.

   Synonyms: dubious, doubtful

   Antonyms: certain

2. not clear to the understanding; hard to perceive:

   obscure motivations.

3. (of language, style, a speaker, etc.) not expressing the meaning clearly or plainly.
4. indistinct to the sight or any other sense; not readily seen, heard, etc.; faint.

   Synonyms: veiled

   Antonyms: clear

5. inconspicuous or unnoticeable:

   the obscure beginnings of a great movement.

6. of little or no prominence, note, fame, or distinction:

   an obscure French artist.

   Synonyms: unknown, undistinguished

   Antonyms: conspicuous, noted

7. far from public notice, worldly affairs, or important activities; remote; retired:

   an obscure little town.

   Synonyms: inconspicuous, secluded

8. lacking in light or illumination; dark; dim; murky:

   an obscure back room.

   Synonyms: somber, shadowy, dusky

   Antonyms: bright

9. enveloped in, concealed by, or frequenting darkness.
10. not bright or lustrous; dull or darkish, as color or appearance.
11. (of a vowel) having the reduced or neutral sound usually represented by the schwa (ə).

verb (used with object)

, ob·scured, ob·scur·ing.

1. to conceal or conceal by confusing (the meaning of a statement, poem, etc.).
2. to make dark, dim, indistinct, etc.
3. to reduce or neutralize (a vowel) to the sound usually represented by a schwa (ə).

noun

1. obscurity.

obscure

/ ˌɒbskjʊˈreɪʃən; əbˈskjʊə /

adjective

1. unclear or abstruse
2. indistinct, vague, or indefinite
3. inconspicuous or unimportant
4. hidden, secret, or remote
5. (of a vowel) reduced to or transformed into a neutral vowel ( ə )
6. gloomy, dark, clouded, or dim

verb

1. to make unclear, vague, or hidden
2. to cover or cloud over
3. phonetics to pronounce (a vowel) with articulation that causes it to become a neutral sound represented by ( ə )

noun

1. a rare word for obscurity

Derived Forms

• obscuration, noun
• obˈscureness, noun
• obˈscurely, adverb

Other Words From

• ob·scur·ed·ly [uh, b-, skyoor, -id-lee], ob·scure·ly adverb
• ob·scure·ness noun
• sub·ob·scure adjective
• sub·ob·scure·ness noun
• un·ob·scure adjective
• un·ob·scure·ness noun
• un·ob·scured adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of obscure¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Old French oscur, obscur, from Latin obscūrus “dark”

Word History and Origins

Origin of obscure¹

C14: via Old French from Latin obscūrus dark

Synonym Study

See mysterious. See dark.

Example Sentences

These once obscure provisions of decades-old trade legislation will likely be where the rubber meets the road in terms of Trump’s frontal challenge to the global trading order.

From Slate

Filled with obscure and ill-directed grievances and frustrations, with elaborate hallucinations about secrets and conspiracies, groups of malcontents have found scapegoats at various times in Masons or abolitionists, Catholics, Mormons, or Jews, Negroes or immigrants, the liquor interests or the international bankers.

From Salon

For academic ratings, the state uses an obscure system called “distance from standard,” which averages all test scores and compares that number to a figure that represents “meeting the standard.”

From Los Angeles Times

The opposition had baptised him "deputy Jesus", accusing him of using Christianity to gain political capital as he attended church services from Catholic masses to the gatherings of obscure sects.

From BBC

And as the idea has transformed from an obscure finding in the demography literature to a massive business venture, a once-productive collaboration between its originators has turned sour.

From Science Magazine

Related Words

• belie
• blind
• block out
• blur
• camouflage
• cloud
• confuse
• cover
• cover up
• darken
• dim
• disguise
• eclipse
• mask
• misrepresent
• muddy
• overshadow
• shroud
• veil