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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unknown
not widely known
he's an obscure artist now, but he's sure to be famous someday
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in darkened
being without light or without much light
hid in an obscure spot among the trees
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in vague
not seen or understood clearly
a distinction so obscure that only the experts can really see it
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 obscure
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 6 June 2025
The influencer shares that their presence is almost unavoidable, with the men appearing before and after personal flights, even family vacations or connection flights through obscure or low-traffic airports.
—Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 2 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
One of the threads that runs through Hoberman’s book is the key role played by critics in creating audiences for obscure or off-putting work.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 6 June 2025
The influencer shares that their presence is almost unavoidable, with the men appearing before and after personal flights, even family vacations or connection flights through obscure or low-traffic airports.
—Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 2 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
-
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
-
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
-
Bell’s status for the start of training camp is unknown.—
Zac Jackson,
New York Times,
17 June 2025
-
At this time, the containment status is unknown and the cause of the fire remains undetermined.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
17 June 2025
Adjective
-
All of these legal tests, however, are quite vague.—
Ian Millhiser,
Vox,
27 June 2025
-
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
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Alongside firsthand accounts from cops, journalists, and survivors, the series unpacks how fear spread through the streets, fueled by cryptic letters, a frenzied press, and a killer who seemed to be everywhere and nowhere at once.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
24 June 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
If that happens, a person may become confused and dizzy, and feel faint.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
19 June 2025
-
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 30 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share