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
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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
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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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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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
Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2025
His late-night attempt to fire Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook—citing obscure allegations of mortgage fraud—has now forced the courts into uncharted territory, testing whether a president can legally purge central bank officials who resist him.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2025
Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Then there’s a period where addiction is obscuring whatever that initial wound is.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obscure
Adjective
In an era where Hollywood is always looking for the next big reboot, what better place to find a piece of brilliant undiscovered IP than a store stuffed with some of the most obscure VHS tapes ever made?
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2025
His late-night attempt to fire Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook—citing obscure allegations of mortgage fraud—has now forced the courts into uncharted territory, testing whether a president can legally purge central bank officials who resist him.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2025
Verb
In the first snap, Justin could be seen making a surprised face as baby Jack partly obscured the camera with his feet in the air.
—Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Then there’s a period where addiction is obscuring whatever that initial wound is.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obscure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obscure
Adjective
-
Unlike Europe's clear regulatory framework under PSD2, American enterprises operate in a more ambiguous environment where implementation decisions must account for evolving compliance requirements and uncertain regulatory timelines.—
Dave Glaser,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Dani's on-again, off-again relationship with playboy photographer Andre — who's also her sister's ex's nephew — has become more ambiguous than ever in recent weeks.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The unprecedented nature of the election leaves a lot of variables unknown.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Do not drive around barricades or through water of unknown depth.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Over the weekend, around 16,000 people paid their respects to the designer at his funeral chamber at the Armani Teatro designed by Tadao Ando, filled with white flowers and paper lanterns on the floor in a diagonal grid formation dimly lit up the darkened venue.—
Luisa Zargani,
Footwear News,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Allowing the President to unlawfully remove Governor Cook on unsubstantiated and vague allegations would endanger the stability of our financial system and undermine the rule of law.—
Siladitya Ray,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
But many of the recommendations were vague or lacked the teeth some experts hoped to see from a document MAHA allies for months had said would dramatically transform the health of Americans.—
Will McDuffie,
ABC News,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The student allegedly admitted to taking the gun on Sunday while his uncle was in the shower and then bringing it onto the bus concealed in his pocket, according to the affidavit.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
8 Sep. 2025
-
She is charged with abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant, the Lexington Police Department said in a news release.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Usually, Meghan has posted photos of their children with their faces blurred out, or in poses where their face is unseen.—
StyleCaster Editors,
StyleCaster,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Ratti’s brand of optimism has always blurred the line between big data and surveillance, and, as a robotics pioneer, he’s also long gravitated toward the post-human, the dream of a world made and managed by machines.—
Kate Wagner,
Curbed,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
These fish, known for their cryptic behavior, were identified as a neonative species, expanding their range naturally.—
Real-Time News team,
Miami Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Ars reached out to Google for an explanation, receiving a cryptic and somewhat unsatisfying reply.—
Ryan Whitwam,
ArsTechnica,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Gray tones, blacks, murky greens, and of course, the midnight blue complete the look.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
6 Sep. 2025
-
But after that, things get murky.—
Sarah Hutter,
CNN Money,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obscure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obscure. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
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