obscurantism
Americannoun
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opposition to the increase and spread of knowledge.
-
deliberate obscurity or evasion of clarity.
Other Word Forms
- obscurantist noun
Etymology
Origin of obscurantism
First recorded in 1825–35; from German Obscurantismus, or French obscurantisme; obscurant, -ism
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
French President Emmanuel Macron wrote that Mr Rushdie "embodied freedom and the fight against obscurantism" and was the victim "of a cowardly attack by the forces of hatred and barbarism".
From BBC • Aug. 12, 2022
“This committee, characterized for its secrecy and obscurantism, cannot be considered the appropriate venue to investigate the alleged violence of human rights,” said Esteban Beltrán, Amnesty’s director in Spain.
From Washington Times • May 5, 2022
“This committee, characterized for its secrecy and obscurantism, cannot be considered the appropriate venue to investigate the alleged violence of human rights,” said Esteban Beltrán, the director of the rights group in Spain.
From Seattle Times • May 5, 2022
It is therefore a jewel of our common humanity and a bulwark against all obscurantism and the identities which pull us apart.
From Washington Post • Sep. 22, 2021
Its greatest crime was obscurantism, which was war on knowledge and civilization.
From Folkways A Study of the Sociological Importance of Usages, Manners, Customs, Mores, and Morals by Sumner, William Graham
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
