1
as in concealing
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in blurring
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
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Recent Examples of obscuring
Frankly, it’s been hard to keep up—and the BlackRock CEO wrote that the drama and uncertainty threatened by day-to-day headlines may be obscuring longer-term trends.
—
Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 23 Mar. 2026
The secretive giving is the latest example of how outside groups are obscuring their spending in competitive campaigns.
—Clara Ence Morse, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2026
Through his rigorious investigation into forensic medicine, Keel uncovers how medical examiners and death investigators can be complicit in obscuring the violent circumstances of in-custody deaths at state institutions.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026
In fact, this obscuring dust cloud orbits the star Gaia20ehk at a distance of around 93 million miles, which is around the distance between the Earth-moon system and the sun.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 12 Mar. 2026
In February, Ciria’s campaign paid for a huge advertising banner in Barcelona’s city centre of a picture of Messi holding up his No 10 Barca shirt (obscuring his face) — referencing his iconic celebration during a Clasico win against arch-rivals Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in 2017.
—Pol Ballús, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
Data center developers and local political leaders don’t help the situation by not investing enough in educating the public and by routinely obscuring details and keeping secret the names of the companies behind the data centers.
—Mehdi Paryavi, Sun Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2026
Other officers then deployed at least three tear gas canisters seconds later, obscuring the entire scene in a cloud of chemicals.
—Bob Ortega, CNN Money, 10 Mar. 2026
This feature can also be applied on an app-by-app basis and/or just to notifications, obscuring part of the screen.
—Iyaz Akhtar, PC Magazine, 5 Mar. 2026
Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 23 Mar. 2026
The secretive giving is the latest example of how outside groups are obscuring their spending in competitive campaigns.
—Clara Ence Morse, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2026
Through his rigorious investigation into forensic medicine, Keel uncovers how medical examiners and death investigators can be complicit in obscuring the violent circumstances of in-custody deaths at state institutions.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026
In fact, this obscuring dust cloud orbits the star Gaia20ehk at a distance of around 93 million miles, which is around the distance between the Earth-moon system and the sun.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 12 Mar. 2026
In February, Ciria’s campaign paid for a huge advertising banner in Barcelona’s city centre of a picture of Messi holding up his No 10 Barca shirt (obscuring his face) — referencing his iconic celebration during a Clasico win against arch-rivals Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in 2017.
—Pol Ballús, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
Data center developers and local political leaders don’t help the situation by not investing enough in educating the public and by routinely obscuring details and keeping secret the names of the companies behind the data centers.
—Mehdi Paryavi, Sun Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2026
Other officers then deployed at least three tear gas canisters seconds later, obscuring the entire scene in a cloud of chemicals.
—Bob Ortega, CNN Money, 10 Mar. 2026
This feature can also be applied on an app-by-app basis and/or just to notifications, obscuring part of the screen.
—Iyaz Akhtar, PC Magazine, 5 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obscuring
Verb
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The justices sided with the parents suing over the California policy of concealing children’s gender transitions, which the school facilitates, from parents.—
Jack Birle,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Forcibly disappearing people has long been a tactic by cartels to consolidate control through terror while also concealing homicide numbers.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Today, that boundary is blurring.—
The AI Insider,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Mar. 2026
-
BeautyBarrier's new priming lotion creates a soft-focus, blurring finish and helps makeup stick to the skin for flawless, all-day wear.—
Kelsey Legg,
ABC News,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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For example, replacing a child’s dropped ice cream cone or lost balloon, hiding small treats where others can find them.—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
26 Mar. 2026
-
These mushrooms are notorious for hiding just underneath the surface.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Two things persuaded Haagy to shelve his own plant research and zero in on the mystery of sky-darkening smog.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Oh, and the grief was almost a person of its own, darkening the minds of some of the characters as much as any lightless corridor could darken a space.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Combined, the payouts to the two Brooklyn exonerees — covering a collective 40-plus years behind bars — were less than what Chicago would end up paying for Sierra’s 22 years’ imprisonment.—
Joe Mahr,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
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With the base loaded and one out, Los Alamitos popped up a bunt that third baseman Kimmie McDonnell snagged and alertly tossed to shortstop Mazzotti covering third base for an inning-ending double play.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The war, now nearing the one-month mark, has raised concerns about inflation and slowing industrial activity across the world, clouding the demand outlook for metals.—
Bloomberg,
Bloomberg,
26 Mar. 2026
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The mail-in registration complication Further clouding the picture are other possible provisions of the new bill.—
Josh Meyer,
USA Today,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But there’s no disguising the noise.—
Noo Saro-Wiwa,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
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The armed raids and worries about Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents disguising themselves in the community are no longer day-to-day issues, but ensuring people still have a roof over their head is a constant battle.—
Conor Wight,
CBS News,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And Hanceville’s fate is as murky as the fog that pours in at night, blotting out buildings and blackening the road ahead.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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These tungsten atoms would then condense on the slightly cooler inside of the glass bulb, blackening it and dimming the light over time.—
Natalia Sánchez Loayza,
Scientific American,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Obscuring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obscuring. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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