opaque
Americanadjective
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not transparent or translucent; impenetrable to light; not allowing light to pass through.
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not transmitting radiation, sound, heat, etc.
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not shining or bright; dark; dull.
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hard to understand; not clear or lucid; obscure.
The problem remains opaque despite explanations.
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dull, stupid, or unintelligent.
noun
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something that is opaque.
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Photography. a coloring matter, usually black or red, used to render part of a negative opaque.
verb (used with object)
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Photography. to cover up blemishes on (a negative), especially for making a printing plate.
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to cause to become opaque.
adjective
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not transmitting light; not transparent or translucent
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not reflecting light; lacking lustre or shine; dull
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not transmitting radiant energy, such as electromagnetic or corpuscular radiation, or sound
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hard to understand; unintelligible
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unintelligent; dense
noun
verb
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to make opaque
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photog to block out particular areas, such as blemishes, on (a negative), using an opaque
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Resistant to the transmission of certain kinds of radiation, usually light. Metals and many minerals are opaque to light, while being transparent to radio waves and neutrinos.
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Compare translucent transparent
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of opaque
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English opake, from Latin opācus “shaded”
Explanation
Use the adjective opaque either for something that doesn't allow light to pass through (like a heavy curtain) or for something difficult to understand (like bureaucratic gobbledygook). Opaque is from a Latin word meaning "dark," and that was its original sense in English, but it now means literally "not transparent" or metaphorically "hard to understand; unclear": "Some of his sentences are really opaque." It used to be spelled opake, which made the pronunciation clearer, but we then borrowed the more opaque French spelling. Come to think of it, English spelling is often pretty opaque, which makes it hard for learners of the language to master.
Vocabulary lists containing opaque
Ender's Game
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A Thousand Splendid Suns
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The Things They Carried
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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.
Opaque ownership structures – and frequent name or flag changes – have become a signature trait of the shadow fleet as a means of avoiding detection.
From BBC • Nov. 18, 2025
Opaque, barely regulated and often cutthroat, it is seldom viewed as an incubator of big-hearted altruists.
From Seattle Times • Nov. 5, 2023
Opaque glass-block windows obscure the interior, creating a sense of mystery enhanced by the warm glow they emit at night.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 14, 2023
"Opaque, inconsistent travel and visa policies have made it extremely difficult to bring foreign staff into China," the British Chamber of Commerce in Beijing said.
From Reuters • Dec. 7, 2021
Opaque, silver test tubes were being fed along a narrow cage, moving forward as if to greet the computers: one tube for each computer.
From "Stormbreaker" by Anthony Horowitz
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.
