opaque

play

adjective \ ō-ˈpāk \

Definition of opaque

1 :blocking the passage of radiant energy and especially light :exhibiting opacity (see opacity 1)

2 a :hard to understand or explain

opaque prose

b :obtuse, thickheaded

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opaque

noun

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opaquely

adverb

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opaqueness

noun

See opaque defined for English-language learners

See opaque defined for kids

Examples of opaque in a Sentence

In the opening hour, a group of strangers receive a maddeningly opaque cell-phone summons to join a secret cross-country race with a $32 million prize. The thing is, the summons can also be a threat (one competitor's wife is possibly being help captive), and the consequences of falling behind are murderous. —Tom Gliatto, People, 23 Apr. 2007
The reality facing Rory Stewart was that he was sent into a collapsed rural region in a country of which he knew almost nothing, and in which he had to find his way through a maze of opaque tribal and religious relationships. —Robert Skidelsky, New York Review of Books, 5 Oct. 2006
Arborio rice, the kind that grows in the Po Valley and gave rise to the wonderful dish risotto, has a tiny opaque white pearl on the inside that remains al dente, and starch on the outside that the grains release during cooking, making a creamy sauce. —Corby Kummer, Atlantic, March 1993
the opaque water of the muddy river
somehow listeners seem to connect with the songwriter, despite his deeply personal, often opaque lyrics

Recent Examples of opaque from the Web

The fallout after Saturday’s dramatic flooding crystallized just how opaque operations at the 119-year agency have grown.

— NOLA.com, "'It'll be a long time before the Sewerage & Water Board is trusted again'," 11 Aug. 2017
The committee called on hospitals to adopt stronger policies and consent forms that go beyond opaque boilerplate statements that grant broad permission without specifying who is doing what.

— sandra g. boodman, Kaiser Health News, "Double-Booked: When Surgeons Operate On Two Patients At Once," 12 July 2017
The committee called on hospitals to adopt stronger policies and consent forms that go beyond opaque boilerplate statements that grant broad permission without specifying who is doing what.

— sandra g. boodman, Kaiser Health News, "Double-Booked: When Surgeons Operate On Two Patients At Once," 12 July 2017
The committee called on hospitals to adopt stronger policies and consent forms that go beyond opaque boilerplate statements that grant broad permission without specifying who is doing what.

— sandra g. boodman, Kaiser Health News, "Double-Booked: When Surgeons Operate On Two Patients At Once," 12 July 2017
One such party was an opaque Chinese insurance firm called Anbang, with ties to Beijing’s political elite.

— bess levin, The Hive, "Is Jared Kushner Punishing Qatar Over a Soured Real-Estate Deal?," 10 July 2017
The committee called on hospitals to adopt stronger policies and consent forms that go beyond opaque boilerplate statements that grant broad permission without specifying who is doing what.

— sandra g. boodman, chicagotribune.com, "Is your surgeon double-booked?," 10 July 2017
A diplomatic standoff between Qatar and four other Arab nations that accuse it of sponsoring terrorism has turned a spotlight on an opaque network of charities and prominent figures freely operating in the tiny Gulf country.

— Washington Post, "Qatar crisis raises questions about defining terrorism," 7 July 2017
Its opaque, unpredictable government often confounds U.S. intelligence assessments.

— robert burns, chicagotribune.com, "North Korean missile advances put new stress on U.S. defenses," 5 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'opaque.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of opaque

Latin opacus — see opacity

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1641

See Words from the same year

opaque Synonyms

Synonyms

ambiguous, arcane, cryptic, dark, deep, Delphic, double-edged, elliptical (or elliptic), enigmatic (also enigmatical), equivocal, fuliginous, inscrutable, murky, mysterious, mystic, nebulous, occult, obscure

Antonyms

accessible, clear, nonambiguous, obvious, plain, unambiguous, unequivocal

Near Antonyms

comprehensible, fathomable, intelligible, knowable, legible, pellucid, understandable; bright, distinct, evident, self-evident, self-explanatory; certain, firm, strong, sure; defined, determined; direct, straightforward; definite, exact, explicit; appreciable, palpable, tangible, visible; blatant, patent, unmistakable

OPAQUE Defined for English Language Learners

opaque

play

adjective

Definition of opaque for English Language Learners

: not letting light through : not transparent
: difficult to understand or explain

OPAQUE Defined for Kids

opaque

play

adjective \ ō-ˈpāk \

Definition of opaque for Students

1 :not letting light through :not transparent

2 :not reflecting light :dull

an opaque paint

Medical Dictionary

opaque

play

adjective \ ō-ˈpāk \

medical Definition of opaque

:exhibiting opacity :not pervious to radiant energy

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opaqueness

noun

Learn More about opaque

See words that rhyme with opaque Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for opaque Spanish Central: Translation of opaque Nglish: Translation of opaque for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of opaque for Arabic speakers

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OPAQUE Defined for English Language Learners

opaque

Definition of opaque for English Language Learners

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opaque

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opaque

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opaqueness

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