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

Bergman’s scenario famously reaches the deeply ambiguous point at which the personalities of the actress Elisabet Vogler and her nurse, Alma, seem to merge.

— Demetrios Matheou, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
What remains are angry customers, ambiguous situations, exceptions, judgment calls and problems that have already failed one resolution attempt.

— Antony P Gregory, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of ambiguous

Adjective

But although the mysterious connections between siblings are an area ripe for exploration, Herzog doesn’t seem all that interested beyond the quirk factor, making the film seem precious rather than perceptive.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026
There’s a mysterious liquid dripping from the ceiling next to the changing table.

— Zachary Pincus-Roth, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of mysterious

Adjective

Last month, Vance hurled himself into an obscure debate over burrito prices to make a gratuitous swipe at a conservative Washington Post columnist’s weight.

— Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2026
Beneath the cringe internet overshare was a welcome indication that the vaginal microbiome has finally moved from an obscure area of medical research into mainstream conversation.

— Amy Francombe, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of obscure

Adjective

Yet cycling’s code of ethics is both large and indistinct; the scale of Pogačar’s dominance threatens its traditions.

— Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 26 July 2026
There, a holiday somewhere hot and indistinct, the only clear memory compressed into the feeling of rough grains of sand studding her feet.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 July 2026

Definition of indistinct

Adjective

War of the Worlds fuses post-9/11 paranoia and the terror of parenting to create one of Spielberg’s most thrilling blockbusters with a dark, genuinely scary atmosphere of ordinary people being wiped out by incomprehensible tragedy.

— Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Aug. 2026
Farnaby’s character, a thickly-accented and mostly-incomprehensible farmer, was, of course, called Barry.

— Alex Ritman, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of incomprehensible

Adjective

Though the Gallaghers weren’t on hand at the film’s press conference earlier on Saturday to field questions, the band has posted several cryptic teasers on Instagram that have sent fans into detective mode.

— Ellise Shafer, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
Sasha Farber posted a cryptic photo following his absence from DWTS’ season 35 lineup.

— Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of cryptic

Adjective

She’s played with a darkly enigmatic, unnerving quality by James in her finest work to date — a knowing, even domineering smile often curling around her lips.

— Tomris Laffly, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
Jil Sander‘s creative director Simone Bellotti has delivered one of the more enigmatic campaigns for fall — shot outdoors like so many this season, but also referring to interiors, a theme that ran through his fall collection.

— Miles Socha, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 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 8 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of nonobvious

adjective

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