NONOBVIOUS Synonyms: 86 Similar and Opposite Words

nonobvious

adjective

Definition of nonobvious

as in ambiguous

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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

And Hawke shares why fans of the ambiguous ending to Paul Schrader’s 2018 religious drama, First Reformed, should thank Martin Scorsese.

— Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 27 Oct. 2026
Leadership can be complex and ambiguous; sport is refreshingly honest.

— Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of ambiguous

Adjective

The first seven games of the season flew by, with Drinkwitz frequently relaying that Hardy’s return date was unclear — but promising to announce it himself when the time came.

— PJ Green November 1, Kansas City Star, 1 Nov. 2026
For now, the circumstances that brought the two helicopters into contact near McMinnville Municipal Airport remain unclear.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of unclear

Adjective

But Sung, Bennett and Miller stayed his order, finding that the California deployment could go forward under an obscure and virtually untested subsection of the law.

— Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
The area sits within the Lake Superior clay plain, where the surrounding soil is largely composed of clay, which can make the water murky and obscure objects beneath the surface.

— Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 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

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Nonobvious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nonobvious. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of nonobvious

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

fulsome

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes