1
: blocking the passage of radiant energy and especially light : exhibiting opacity
opaque glass
the opaque water of the muddy river
(see opacity sense 1)
2
a
: hard to understand or explain
opaque prose
b
archaic
: obtuse, thickheaded
opaque
noun
opaquely
adverb
opaqueness
noun
Synonyms of opaque
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 held 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
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 on the Web
Shell companies, covert donations, and opaque real estate ventures launder money that bankrolls political actors abroad.
—Nic Cheeseman, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
When wax begins to solidify and turn opaque, poke the flat side of a skewer through the center and remove.
—Janna Oberdorf, Parents, 15 Dec. 2025
Analysts note that Rodríguez has increasingly taken control of critical sectors, including the oil industry, placing her at the center of the opaque revenue structures that sustain the regime.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 13 Dec. 2025
Traditionally, Berkshire has been opaque about who’s been responsible for the smaller holdings in its portfolio and hasn’t said much about the portfolio managers’ track records.
—Alex Crippen, CNBC, 13 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for opaque
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Nic Cheeseman, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
When wax begins to solidify and turn opaque, poke the flat side of a skewer through the center and remove.
—Janna Oberdorf, Parents, 15 Dec. 2025
Analysts note that Rodríguez has increasingly taken control of critical sectors, including the oil industry, placing her at the center of the opaque revenue structures that sustain the regime.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 13 Dec. 2025
Traditionally, Berkshire has been opaque about who’s been responsible for the smaller holdings in its portfolio and hasn’t said much about the portfolio managers’ track records.
—Alex Crippen, CNBC, 13 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for opaque
Cite this Entry
“Opaque.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opaque. Accessed 19 Dec. 2025.
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