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clouding

verb

present participle of cloud
1
as in obscuring
to make dark, dim, or indistinct the diner's dark interior, clouded with smoke and grease

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in confusing
to make (something) unclear to the understanding cloud the issue with obscure statistics

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of clouding Beyond the 2022 case dismissal, in other instances, charges were never filed, information has come out clouding an accuser’s story, or Brown has counter-sued for defamation — details which complicate each story. — Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026 The detention of Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu on Thursday risks clouding Lusaka’s credentials as a relatively stable southern African democracy and denting investor confidence in Africa’s second-largest copper producer. — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 28 Aug. 2026 In addition to the starters who have yet to practice for the Panthers, a couple of notable first- and second-year players have been sidelined recently, clouding the roster picture a bit. — Joseph Person, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 Then Kris drifts outside, her face clouding, followed by Billy. — Jp Mangalindan, Time, 10 Aug. 2026 What underlying assumptions are clouding my strategic judgment? — Simone Lundquist, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Wholesale inflation fell from May to June on plunging energy prices, but intensifying hostilities with Iran are clouding the outlook. — Paul Wiseman, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026 Are foggy relationships clouding your goals and ambitions? — Usa Today, USA Today, 25 June 2026 The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were recent enough for Black Americans to understand the nation’s possibility for change, yet the routine violence didn’t diminish, clouding the wave of optimism with grief and disillusionment. — Rae-Aila Crumble, Pitchfork, 25 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clouding
  1. obscuring
  2. confusing
  3. blurring
  4. obfuscating
  5. darkening
  6. muddying
  7. fogging
  8. complicating
Verb
  • The moonphase displayed is not created by partially obscuring an image of the Moon, but by the continuous movement of the two, illustrating the time elapsed between one new moon and the next full moon.
    — Carol Besler, Robb Report, 15 Sep. 2026
  • But now, new research has found asteroids and comets that have bombarded Mercury have created debris obscuring just how much Mercury has shrunk.
    — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of obscuring
Verb
  • The board’s real contribution is to prevent the organization from confusing speed with progress, automation with accountability or intelligence with wisdom.
    — David Ribott, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Here, misfits are welcome, and bric-a-brac is part of the appeal; the wonderfully bizarre name and devil-may-care attitude have been confusing (and delighting) first-timers for more than 70 years.
    — Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 13 Sep. 2026
Definition of confusing
Verb
  • Caland turned relentless mark-making, erotic bodies and embroidered garments into a boundary-blurring philosophy where art, home and life fully merge.
    — Tara Anne Dalbow, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The airy texture of the powder adds to the soft-focus effect, blurring pores and fine lines in a few quick sweeps—a no-brainer finishing touch for any makeup look.
    — Elizabeth Siegel, Allure, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of blurring
Verb
  • The lawsuit expanded on that, accusing the village of obfuscating the nature of the development during the earlier stages of approvals.
    — Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The revelation is the latest example of how engaging the technology — and obfuscating such use — can roil audiences eager to support new films.
    — Corbin Bolies, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of obfuscating
Verb
  • But at a festive National Day meal in Riyadh, where families dined while patriotic songs filled the room, there was a growing sense that the public mood may be darkening.
    — Matthew Chance, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The title references Black Like Me, white journalist John Howard Griffin’s 1961 nonfiction book about darkening his skin to pass for Black in the Jim Crow South.
    — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of darkening
Verb
  • Her father is also fighting as a soldier in the Ukrainian Army, further muddying things.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
  • But Trump’s approval ratings have suffered a year and a half into his second term and are muddying a race that Blakeman wants to keep squarely focused on Hochul and her management of the state.
    — David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of muddying
Verb
  • Here’s how to tell why your windows are fogging up in the morning and what to do about it.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2026
  • In other words, Bessent is fogging up the very same windshield Warsh was attempting to get a clear view from.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of fogging
Verb
  • That’s complicating an already complex business stack and forcing businesses to rethink their architecture, Fey said.
    — Samantha Subin, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Hollywood is stereotypically seen as an industry beloved and supported by liberal politicians, but the current push for a federal film and television tax credit is complicating that typical portrait.
    — Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of complicating

Browse Nearby Words

cloudiness
clouding
cloudland
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Cite this Entry

“Clouding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clouding. Accessed 28 Sep. 2026.

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