1
as in ambiguous
having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning
a fantasy writer who likes to put lots of obscure references and images in her tales of wizards and warlocks
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unknown
not widely known
he's an obscure artist now, but he's sure to be famous someday
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3
as in darkened
being without light or without much light
hid in an obscure spot among the trees
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4
as in vague
not seen or understood clearly
a distinction so obscure that only the experts can really see it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to conceal
to keep secret or shut off from view
the investigative reporters obscured their real motives for visiting the company by pretending the story was about something else
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to blur
to make dark, dim, or indistinct
when it isn't obscured by smog, the view of the city from the observatory can be spectacular
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of obscure
Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 25 June 2025
Ironheart was ordered at a time when Marvel Studios’ President Kevin Feige and company were trying to churn out as much content as possible, no matter how obscure the hero.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 24 June 2025
Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 10 June 2025
The newsrooms found that no two counties handle decision-making the same way, but Maricopa County is an outlier for obscuring nearly every aspect of its committee’s work.
—Nicole Santa Cruz, ProPublica, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for obscure
Adjective
Those efforts have included apprehending foreign students en masse, most of whom are Muslim, citing an obscure provision in the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 to justify their detainment.
—Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 25 June 2025
Ironheart was ordered at a time when Marvel Studios’ President Kevin Feige and company were trying to churn out as much content as possible, no matter how obscure the hero.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 24 June 2025
Verb
The actor filmed several scenes at the end of Season 2 that made the plot point more explicit, but ultimately cutting those beats and obscuring Ben’s guilt made the story stronger.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 10 June 2025
The newsrooms found that no two counties handle decision-making the same way, but Maricopa County is an outlier for obscuring nearly every aspect of its committee’s work.
—Nicole Santa Cruz, ProPublica, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for obscure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obscure
Adjective
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The inconsistency of the geographical settings goes hand in hand with the how their American protagonists are depicted as inept operators whose heroism is ambiguous Soon after his arrival in Saigon, Andrews mistakes an advertisement for a dubious massage parlor as a clue from a local contact.—
H.M.A. Leow,
JSTOR Daily,
18 June 2025
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That’s negativity bias in action—the cognitive reflex to prioritize potential threats over neutral or positive cues, especially when the situation is ambiguous.—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
Adjective
-
The criticism of Lamont increased after a previously unknown liberal named Zohran Mamdani won an upset victory over Cuomo, giving liberals their biggest win of the year at a time when the Democratic Party has been reeling nationwide by the presidency of Donald J. Trump.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
29 June 2025
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The actual cost of the wedding is unknown, but Venice regional governor Luca Zaia originally estimated the cost between 20 million-30 million euros, or $23 million-$34 million, in a June 24 Reuters article.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
29 June 2025
Adjective
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Brooks said Act 372 was vague and imposed problems on librarians and bookstore owners trying to avoid prosecution.—
Brett Barrouquere,
Arkansas Online,
27 June 2025
-
All of these legal tests, however, are quite vague.—
Ian Millhiser,
Vox,
27 June 2025
Verb
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Many of the individuals, including some concealing their faces with masks and hoods, appeared to be filming the cruiser with cell phones.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
16 June 2025
-
Kate goes to extreme measures to conceal her daughter’s crime, preparing her with an ironclad alibi and dumping the dead body into a nearby lake.—
Francesca Gariano,
People.com,
14 June 2025
Verb
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Part of that brand was to label it a ‘spirit,’ blurring the psychological lines between an alcoholic beverage and a THC one.—
Andrew Watman,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
-
At a sunny oceanfront venue, the line between a vacation-ready, potentially too-casual sundress and appropriate wedding-guest attire blurs.—
Catie Pusateri,
Glamour,
17 June 2025
Adjective
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The cryptic introduction is a subtle nod to the bartenders that the patron is about to order one of four drinks from the Burning Blade secret menu.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
25 June 2025
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The moment helped confirm a romance that had been rumored for several months following several cryptic Instagram posts.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
24 June 2025
Adjective
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The highlighting reticles for discoverables are thankfully forgiving — ideal for the murky depths that would otherwise hide them.—
Matt Gardner,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
-
The questions, though, are a bit different this offseason, as Toronto’s optimal path forward is pretty murky, and any mistakes management makes in the next few weeks will only compound their issues.—
James Mirtle,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
Adjective
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Use your mobile phone to scan the skies, as the camera is great at picking up faint auroras before your eyes spot them.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
19 June 2025
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The headband usually has to be readjusted ahead of the next wear, as the sound can be faint if the headphones are not perfectly positioned over the ears.—
Rebecca Taylor,
Outside Online,
19 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obscure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obscure. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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