obfuscate

American  

[ob-fuh-skeyt, ob-fuhs-keyt] / ˈɒb fəˌskeɪt, ɒbˈfʌs keɪt /

verb (used with object)

• obfuscates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• obfuscated,
  past participle,  past
• obfuscating
  present participle

1. to make unclear or hard to understand, especially deliberately.

   Do not obfuscate the issue with irrelevant detail.

   Synonyms:

   muddy, cloud

2. to confuse or bewilder.

   The authors achieve their purpose without obfuscating the reader by using too much technical terminology.

   Synonyms:

   perplex, muddle

   Antonyms:

   illuminate, clarify

3. to darken.

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verb (used without object)

• obfuscates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• obfuscated,
  past participle,  past
• obfuscating
  present participle

1. to make something unclear or hard to understand, especially deliberately; speak or write evasively or obscurely.

   Notice how she obfuscates when asked directly about her conversations with the defendant.

obfuscate British  

/ ˈɒbfʌsˌkeɪt /

verb

1. to obscure or darken

2. to perplex or bewilder

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• obfuscation
  noun
• obfuscatory
  adjective
• unobfuscated
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• obfuscating
  present
• obfuscated
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• obfuscate
  simple
• obfuscates
  simple
• have obfuscated
  perfect
• has obfuscated
  perfect
• am obfuscating
  progressive
• are obfuscating
  progressive
• is obfuscating
  progressive
• have been obfuscating
  perfect progressive
• has been obfuscating
  perfect progressive

Past

• obfuscated
  simple
• had obfuscated
  perfect
• was obfuscating
  progressive
• were obfuscating
  progressive
• had been obfuscating
  perfect progressive

Future

• will obfuscate
  simple
• will have obfuscated
  perfect
• will be obfuscating
  progressive
• will have been obfuscating
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of obfuscate

First recorded in 1525–35; from Late Latin obfuscātus “darkened,” past participle of obfuscāre “to darken,” from Latin ob- ob- + fusc(us) “dark” + -āre, infinitive suffix

Explanation

Some people are experts at obfuscating the truth by being evasive, unclear, or obscure in the telling of the facts. The people who are good at obfuscating would include defense lawyers and teenagers asked about their plans for Saturday night. Although the verb obfuscate can be used in any case where something is darkened, less clear, or more obscure, it is most frequently used in reference to things like ideas, facts, issues, or the truth. The usual implied meaning is that this obfuscation is done deliberately. Politicians often obfuscate the truth about the issues to win support for their positions so they can win elections.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

obfuscate obfuscates obfuscated obfuscating

You don’t get to walk into my courtroom, pretend that’s top of mind, then obfuscate when I ask why your office is still running illegally.

From Slate ● Mar. 20, 2026

While Ferguson gets ample time to obfuscate, other, better scholars get little time to squeeze in some truth.

From Salon ● Nov. 1, 2025

This is the latest of Wall Street’s never-ending efforts to hide, complicate and obfuscate fees.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2025

In court documents, Mr Garcia's lawyers accused the US government of trying to "delay, obfuscate and flout court orders, while a man's life and safety is at risk".

From BBC ● Apr. 12, 2025

At least Fyrian never attempted to deflect or obfuscate Luna’s many questions.

From "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill

It was a scene rarely seen in Western Washington, which so often obfuscates celestial phenomena with clouds stretching so far into the horizon you wonder if they ever end.

From Seattle Times ● May 11, 2024

The rhetoric that a job is a passion obfuscates reality: It is an economic contract, Simone Stolzoff argues.

From New York Times ● Jun. 7, 2023

But McConnell still has the sense that people might think there is something wrong with being an amoral monster so he obfuscates.

From Salon ● Apr. 8, 2022

Painting Afghan society with a broad brush only obfuscates the mistakes of those in power.

From Slate ● Feb. 2, 2022

You drink St. Emilion or still hock; I drink water from the well or the cup that cheers but not obfuscates.

From Philistia by Grant Allen

The author now alleges that Euracare has "stalled and muddied and obfuscated" over the inquest and has requested Nigeria's Federal High Court block the inquiry.

From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2026

“Pratt running has kind of obfuscated the differences between Raman and Bass,” Mitchell said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 2, 2026

A Pentagon spokesman obfuscated the choice to the press in the language of a “comprehensive, multilayered process.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 18, 2026

A commercial VPN’s purpose is to provide obfuscated Internet access.

From Salon ● Nov. 26, 2025

They acted slowly and without resolve, they backtracked, they obfuscated, they spoke with a small hesitant voice when what was needed was a howl.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

Robots may threaten ordinary human interactions while obfuscating what it means to be human.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 14, 2025

And if creators can get their subjects to participate only by obfuscating what they intend to do, the end result cannot be totally true.

From Slate ● Oct. 13, 2025

And so they're kind of deliberately obfuscating what the court's order is in order to serve their legal interest in the case.

From Salon ● Apr. 17, 2025

"I was part of the decision-making process and the decision is as Rachel Reeves set it out," he said, adding he was "not obfuscating" when pressed on his previous stance.

From BBC ● Feb. 7, 2025

Let us note step by step the chain of what passes in us, without obfuscating our minds by any terms of the schools or any antecedent principle.

From Voltaire's Philosophical Dictionary by Voltaire