nonobvious

adjective

Definition of nonobviousnext
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
  1. ambiguous
  2. mysterious
  3. unclear
  4. obscure
  5. indistinct
  6. incomprehensible
  7. cryptic
  8. enigmatic
Adjective
  • Here, the movie acquires an ambiguous power, and the proceedings begin to head south.
    — Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2026
  • To reveal more of Okita’s endlessly surprising and playfully ambiguous script would be to rob audiences of the film’s numerous pleasures, which run the gamut from hearty belly-laughs to heartbreaking melodrama.
    — James Marsh, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of ambiguous
Adjective
  • Yeoh plays Olwen, a replicant Blade Runner nearing the end of her life, who partners with Schafer’s Cora, a mysterious new recruit.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
  • New research suggests the ‘world’s most mysterious manuscript,’ of unknown provenance, made in the Middle Ages (1404–38), is being read all wrong, reports The Guardian.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of mysterious
Adjective
  • For Modi, the protests pose a challenge midway through his third term, though their political impact remains unclear.
    — Sheikh Saaliq, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Their capabilities and operational maturity, however, remain unclear.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of unclear
Adjective
  • But there isn’t even a word for what happened Friday when a once-obscure board canceled a meeting to decide the future of homeless services in Los Angeles because too many people came to vote.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Ivey and his partner persuaded the Crockfords dealer to rotate the high-value cards 180 degrees before shuffling them back into the pack, citing some obscure superstition as justification.
    — Kit Chellel, Fortune, 5 Oct. 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
  • Painfully aware of this, Shawn waited for one of the drunk old men to comment, heckle, make one of those incomprehensible jokes that drew rude laughter from adults.
    — Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Sure, the story is incomprehensible, and Dylan is far from a great actor.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of incomprehensible
Adjective
  • The cryptic eco-disaster project will represent a loss of hundreds of millions when all is said and done.
    — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Emanuel’s cryptic comment comes amid claims that Meghan was in early talks to star in the third season of Guy Ritchie’s Netflix series The Gentlemen.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of cryptic
Adjective
  • The story centers on a transfer student’s enigmatic bond with a teacher, as a string of unexplained, supernatural incidents cracks the school’s polished facade.
    — Ophélie Surcouf, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
  • He is saved by an enigmatic young mechanic who equips him with a custom mechanical arm.
    — Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of enigmatic

Browse Nearby Words

nonobservances
nonobvious
nonofficial
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Cite this Entry

“Nonobvious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nonobvious. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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