Meaning & use
non-transparent
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivecomparable
not allowing light to pass through; not see-through
Grammar: Can be used before a noun or after a linking verb: a non-transparent film, the glass is non-transparent.
Patterns
- a non-transparent material
- become non-transparent
The bottle is made of non-transparent plastic to protect the medicine from light.
Once the liquid was added, the solution turned cloudy and non-transparent.
They chose a non-transparent screen so that people outside could not see the display.
adjectivecomparablefigurativedisapproving
not open about decisions or information; difficult to understand or check
Grammar: Often used after a linking verb with organizations, systems or processes: the process is non-transparent.
Patterns
- a non-transparent process
- non-transparent decision-making
- remain non-transparent about something
Critics say the selection process was non-transparent and favored insiders.
The company remained non-transparent about how the fees were calculated.
Voters complained that the new rules were complicated and non-transparent.
Word forms
| comparative | more non-transparent |
|---|---|
| superlative | most non-transparent |
Common combinations
- non-transparent material
- The windows use a non-transparent material that blocks both light and heat.
- non-transparent process
- A non-transparent process makes it hard for citizens to trust the result.
- remain non-transparent
- The agency continues to remain non-transparent about its spending.
- non-transparent pricing
- Non-transparent pricing is one reason customers switch to other airlines.
Synonyms and how they differ
- opaque
- Opaque is the exact opposite of transparent for materials, but it is rarely used for organizations, where non-transparent is more natural.
- unclear
- Unclear means hard to understand, which fits confusing information, but it does not suggest deliberate secrecy as non-transparent often does.
- secretive
- Secretive suggests a person or group deliberately hiding things, which is stronger and more personal than non-transparent.
Opposites
Word family
- transparent adjective
- Allowing light through, or open and easy to understand.
- transparency noun
- The quality of being open and easy to check, or the state of letting light through.
- opaquely adverb
- In a way that is hard to see through or understand.
Commonly confused: non-transparent or nontransparent?
non-transparent vs nontransparent
The same word written without a hyphen, which is common in American English.
Practice
Many residents felt the planning decision was ______, because officials never explained how it was made.
Choose one answer.
'Non-transparent' fits the criticism that the decision was not open. 'Transparent' means the opposite, 'translucent' describes material that lets some light through, and 'visible' simply means able to be seen.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “non-transparent”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.