obscurity
noun
ob·scu·ri·ty
äb-ˈskyu̇r-ə-tē 
əb-
plural obscurities
1
: one that is obscure
… peppered with quotes from … heavy hitters, as well as some downright obscurities.—
Penelope Green
Penelope Green2
: the quality or state of being obscure
novels that have faded into obscurity
Synonyms
Examples of obscurity in a Sentence
In recent years, the tradition has emerged from obscurity.
He has been living in relative obscurity in a small town in the mountains.
After a promising first novel, she faded into obscurity.
Recent Examples on the Web
The ability to continually poke one person back and forth often led to poke wars that, eventually, fizzled out as the function itself faded into obscurity.
—Angela Yang, NBC News, 21 Mar. 2024
For over a decade, Megill had been toiling in relative obscurity as the co-founder of Polis, a nonprofit open-source tech platform for carrying out public deliberations.
—TIME, 5 Feb. 2024
Sometimes history-makers die in relative obscurity, not knowing that the impact of their words would echo louder through the decades and centuries.
—Thomas R Eddlem, Orange County Register, 5 Feb. 2024
Putin, a former KGB spy, was just 46 when he was flung to the top level of politics in 1999, plucked from relative obscurity by an ailing Boris Yeltsin to serve as Russian prime minister and soon became acting president.
—Adam Taylor, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024
With its sadistic violence, taboo sexuality, and grim depiction of postwar London, Peeping Tom was a flop that essentially ended the illustrious career of director Michael Powell, falling into obscurity until Martin Scorsese rescued it and rehabilitated its reputation with a 1979 re-release.
—Katie Rife, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2024
But as the centuries passed, the cemetery fell into obscurity.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2024
Sometimes these models last years, but others have faded into obscurity.
—Lawrence Hodge / Jalopnik, Quartz, 7 Mar. 2024
Most of the book’s figures have faded into obscurity.
—Barbara Spindel, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Mar. 2024
Angela Yang, NBC News, 21 Mar. 2024
For over a decade, Megill had been toiling in relative obscurity as the co-founder of Polis, a nonprofit open-source tech platform for carrying out public deliberations.
—TIME, 5 Feb. 2024
Sometimes history-makers die in relative obscurity, not knowing that the impact of their words would echo louder through the decades and centuries.
—Thomas R Eddlem, Orange County Register, 5 Feb. 2024
Putin, a former KGB spy, was just 46 when he was flung to the top level of politics in 1999, plucked from relative obscurity by an ailing Boris Yeltsin to serve as Russian prime minister and soon became acting president.
—Adam Taylor, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024
With its sadistic violence, taboo sexuality, and grim depiction of postwar London, Peeping Tom was a flop that essentially ended the illustrious career of director Michael Powell, falling into obscurity until Martin Scorsese rescued it and rehabilitated its reputation with a 1979 re-release.
—Katie Rife, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2024
But as the centuries passed, the cemetery fell into obscurity.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2024
Sometimes these models last years, but others have faded into obscurity.
—Lawrence Hodge / Jalopnik, Quartz, 7 Mar. 2024
Most of the book’s figures have faded into obscurity.
—Barbara Spindel, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'obscurity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near obscurity
Cite this Entry
“Obscurity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obscurity. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
obscurity
noun
ob·scu·ri·ty
äb-ˈskyu̇r-ət-ē
əb-
plural obscurities
1
: something that is obscure
2
: the quality or state of being obscure
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