NONOBVIOUS Synonyms: 86 Similar and Opposite Words

nonobvious

adjective

Definition of nonobvious

as in ambiguous

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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 nonobvious On the flip side, if your financial situation is complicated and nonobvious, be sure to take the time to explain it to your mortgage loan originator. — Jeff Lazerson, Oc Register, 23 Apr. 2026 This comes to resemble a branding exercise—perhaps a necessary one to sell a book these days—but the advice is good, and some of it nonobvious. — Matthew Hutson, WSJ, 6 Dec. 2021 The rise of cloud computing, open-source platforms and the API economy has contributed in both obvious and nonobvious ways to this transformation. — Romi Stein, Forbes, 1 June 2021 And to also keep nonobvious stuff on hand — like teddy bears for the kids, a rubber bone for the dog and $50 in cash, all in $1 bills. — Steve Rubenstein, SFChronicle.com, 11 June 2019

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nonobvious

Adjective

The cover art for The Holy Cross Tigers is awash in burgundy, a more ambiguous shade that’s indicative of the oppositional emotions stewing within.

— Stuart Berman, Pitchfork, 5 Nov. 2026
But Maryland’s climate goals have been ambiguous and inconsistent.

— Alex Pavlak, Baltimore Sun, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of ambiguous

Adjective

The series pairs its lavish costumes and sets with visual effects to build its fantasy world, including Queen, a mysterious bird with whom Navier forms a bond.

— Ophélie Surcouf, Variety, 3 Nov. 2026
Away from the elections, the briefing covers a new boom in fossil fuels driven by Big Tech and the latest research on the mysterious rise of colorectal cancer among young people.

— Francesca Ebel, Washington Post, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of mysterious

Adjective

The pope is, among many other things, an American baby boomer who, earlier this summer, referenced in a footnote in a treatise on peace a Dylan lyric so obscure that not even Padgett had ever heard of it.

— Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2026
From star lender to seized bank Ueno Bank, which skyrocketed from an obscure finance company to a household name in less than five years, claimed more than 60% of Paraguay’s adults as customers.

— Isabel Debre, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of obscure

Adjective

The speakers sounded fuzzy and indistinct during testing, even at relatively low volumes.

— Marshall Honorof, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026
And then the sun slips above the horizon, and in an instant the shadows turn from indistinct gray blurs to sharp black lines.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of indistinct

Adjective

Across cultures and eras, fashion has served as a means of reflecting on this universal human experience, giving tangible form to the otherwise incomprehensible.

— Livia Caligor, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026
Days before the openings, the prospect of showing across his hometown still seemed to Hodges about as incomprehensible as a dream.

— Tara Anne Dalbow, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of incomprehensible

Adjective

Then, on October 26, a member of Parliament—who happened to be the brother-in-law of one of the conspirators—received a cryptic, anonymous letter.

— Lucia Barnum, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Oct. 2026
The news arrives after a cryptic graphic teasing the tour was posted on Instagram, featuring imagery from The Great Divide.

— Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of cryptic

Adjective

Even your biggest hits have something of an enigmatic quality.

— Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026
Today, this Chilean territory is essentially an open-air archaeological museum, with many of its enigmatic moai (representations of Polynesian ancestors) returned to their upright positions following seven decades of restoration.

— Mark Johanson, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of enigmatic

Browse Nearby Words

nonobservances

nonobvious

nonofficial

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“Nonobvious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nonobvious. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of nonobvious

adjective

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