Meaning & use
obscure
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Meanings
adjectivenot comparable
Not widely known, remembered, or recognized.
Grammar: Usually not graded; very obscure is common, but more obscure is possible in informal emphasis.
Patterns
- an obscure poet
- remain obscure
- obscure reference
The library kept an obscure magazine that published his first story.
A few obscure footnotes changed how scholars read the poem.
She enjoyed quoting an obscure proverb from her grandmother’s village.
adjectivenot comparable
Difficult to understand because the meaning, expression, or explanation is unclear.
Grammar: Describes writing, speech, rules, or reasons; vague is close but often less formal.
Patterns
- obscure instructions
- obscure legal language
- deliberately obscure
The manual was so obscure that we assembled the shelf backward.
An obscure clause in the contract delayed the closing.
His answer was honest but oddly obscure about dates and costs.
verbtransitive
To make something hard to see, hear, understand, or notice.
Grammar: Takes an object: fog obscures the road; jargon obscures the point.
Patterns
- obscure the view
- obscure the facts
- obscure the issue
Low clouds obscured the summit until noon.
Technical terms obscured the main warning in the report.
Please do not let the apology obscure who was responsible.
Word forms
| third person singular | obscures |
|---|---|
| past tense | obscured |
| past participle | obscured |
| -ing form | obscuring |
Common combinations
- obscure the view
- A delivery van obscured the view of the crossing.
- remain obscure
- The painter’s early years remain obscure despite new research.
- deliberately obscure
- The memo was deliberately obscure about who approved the payment.
- obscure reference
- The teacher explained one obscure reference before we read the essay.
Synonyms and how they differ
- vague
- Vague stresses lack of clear detail; obscure can also mean little-known or physically hidden.
- unclear
- Unclear is neutral and everyday; obscure often sounds more formal or complete.
- conceal
- Conceal means hide intentionally; obscure can be accidental, as fog obscures signs.
Opposites
Word family
- obscurity noun
- The state of being unknown or unclear.
- obscurely adverb
- In a way that is hard to understand or not well known.
- obfuscation noun
- The act of making something confusing or unclear.
Commonly confused: obscure or absurd?
obscure vs absurd
Obscure means unclear or little-known; absurd means ridiculous or against reason.
Practice
Choose the best word: The witness used ___ language that left everyone confused.
Choose one answer.
Language that confuses people is obscure; famous, visible, and polite do not describe unclear wording.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “obscure”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.