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
The interventions of Johnson and Wang find a parallel in Haacke’s 1972 Rhine-Water Purification Plant (Rheinwasseraufbereitungsanlage),which drew attention to Germany’s Rhine River and the ways postwar industrialization was turning it opaque with heavy metals and noxious chemicals.
—Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 24 May 2026
As previously reported by the Daily News, the process of picking a design, a developer, and a funding stream for a long-overdue overhaul of Penn Station has indeed been an opaque one ever since the feds took over last year.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 22 May 2026
It’s also frequently tied to sustainable agriculture and the idea of supporting local economies rather than long, opaque supply chains.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 22 May 2026
Right now, rules governing who pays when disaster strikes are too often opaque, inequitable, and poorly designed to incentivise prevention.
—Nina Seega, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for opaque
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 24 May 2026
As previously reported by the Daily News, the process of picking a design, a developer, and a funding stream for a long-overdue overhaul of Penn Station has indeed been an opaque one ever since the feds took over last year.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 22 May 2026
It’s also frequently tied to sustainable agriculture and the idea of supporting local economies rather than long, opaque supply chains.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 22 May 2026
Right now, rules governing who pays when disaster strikes are too often opaque, inequitable, and poorly designed to incentivise prevention.
—Nina Seega, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for opaque
Cite this Entry
“Opaque.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opaque. Accessed 27 May. 2026.
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