obscure

/əb'skjuə/
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obscure

The author's obscure writing style makes the novel difficult to understand.

Definition

  1. Adjective:

    • Not clearly seen or understood; vague or ambiguous: Refers to something that is not easily perceived, understood, or expressed clearly.
    • Not well-known; not famous or prominent: Describes a person, place, or thing that is not famous or widely recognized.
    • Dark, dim, or hidden from view: Describes something that is physically concealed or in shadow.

  2. Verb:

    • To make something unclear, vague, or difficult to understand: The act of rendering something less distinct or comprehensible.
    • To conceal or hide something from view: The act of physically blocking sight or making something hard to see.
    • To make something less prominent or well-known: The act of diminishing the fame or recognition of something.
Usage Examples

  • Adjective:

    • The meaning of the ancient text was obscure. (The text's meaning was not clear.)
    • He was an obscure poet from the 18th century. (The poet was not famous.)
    • The path was obscure in the fog. (The path was hard to see.)

  • Verb:

    • Complex jargon can obscure the main point of an argument. (Jargon can make the point unclear.)
    • The tall building obscured our view of the mountains. (The building blocked the view.)
    • His later work was obscured by his early, more famous novels. (His later work was made less prominent.)
Advanced Usage

  • "To remain obscure": to stay unknown or unnoticed.

    • The details of the incident remain obscure. (The details are still not known.)

  • "An obscure reference": a mention or allusion that is not easily understood by most people.

    • The article was full of obscure references to medieval philosophy. (The references were difficult for general readers to understand.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Obscurity (n): The state of being unknown, inconspicuous, or unclear.
    • The artist lived and died in obscurity. (The artist was not famous.)
  • Obscurely (adv): In a way that is not clear or plain.
    • He hinted obscurely at future changes. (He hinted in a vague way.)
Synonyms
  • Adjective: Vague, ambiguous, cryptic, unclear, unknown, unrecognized, hidden, concealed.
  • Verb: Conceal, hide, veil, cloud, blur, confuse, overshadow.
Related Phrasal Verbs/Constructions

(Note: "Obscure" is not commonly used in phrasal verb constructions. Its meanings are typically expressed directly.)

Related Idioms
  • "In obscure circumstances": in a situation that is not well understood or known.
    • The manuscript was discovered in obscure circumstances. (The details of its discovery are unclear.)
  • "To obscure the truth": to hide or make the truth difficult to ascertain.
    • The official report seemed designed to obscure the truth. (The report seemed intended to hide the facts.)
obscure

The author's obscure writing style makes the novel difficult to understand.

Adjective
  1. remote and separate physically or socially
    • existed over the centuries as a world apart
    • preserved because they inhabited a place apart- W.H.Hudson
    • tiny isolated villages remote from centers of civilization
    • an obscure village
  2. not drawing attention
    • an unnoticeable cigarette burn on the carpet
    • an obscure flaw
  3. not famous or acclaimed
    • an obscure family
    • unsung heroes of the war
  4. difficult to find
    • hidden valleys
    • a hidden cave
    • an obscure retreat
  5. marked by difficulty of style or expression
    • much that was dark is now quite clear to me
    • those who do not appreciate Kafka's work say his style is obscure
  6. not clearly understood or expressed
    • an obscure turn of phrase
    • an impulse to go off and fight certain obscure battles of his own spirit-Anatole Broyard
    • their descriptions of human behavior become vague, dull, and unclear- P.A.Sorokin
    • vague...forms of speech...have so long passed for mysteries of science- John Locke
Verb
  1. make undecipherable or imperceptible by obscuring or concealing
    • a hidden message
    • a veiled threat
  2. reduce a vowel to a neutral one, such as a schwa
  3. make obscure or unclear
    • The distinction was obscured
  4. make unclear, indistinct, or blurred
    • Her remarks confused the debate
    • Their words obnubilate their intentions
  5. make less visible or unclear
    • The stars are obscured by the clouds
    • the big elm tree obscures our view of the valley

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