1
as in ambiguity
the quality or state of having a veiled or uncertain meaning
the 16th-century astrologer's predictions are so filled with obscurity that people can interpret them any way they want
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in oblivion
the quality or state of being mostly or completely unknown
the singer languished in relative obscurity for years before becoming famous
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3
as in mysteriousness
the quality or state of being impossible to know, understand, or explain
her novels were favored by gullible critics who confuse obscurity with profundity
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of obscurity
Escape from Venice Bembo’s obscurity was partly of her own making.
—
Claire Fontijn, The Conversation, 18 May 2026
On screen, that depth is anchored by Williams and Storrie, actors plucked from restaurant-server obscurity.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 15 May 2026
Environmental-news headlines get little attention, court challenges play out in obscurity, and when people do protest, our air, water, forests, and oceans seem like afterthoughts amid so many other worthy causes.
—John Reid, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026
Chambliss routinely produced explosive, clutch plays, overcoming his less-than-ideal size (6-foot-1, 200 pounds) and emerging from a relative obscurity in ways that captured fans' imagination.
—ABC News, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for obscurity
Claire Fontijn, The Conversation, 18 May 2026
On screen, that depth is anchored by Williams and Storrie, actors plucked from restaurant-server obscurity.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 15 May 2026
Environmental-news headlines get little attention, court challenges play out in obscurity, and when people do protest, our air, water, forests, and oceans seem like afterthoughts amid so many other worthy causes.
—John Reid, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026
Chambliss routinely produced explosive, clutch plays, overcoming his less-than-ideal size (6-foot-1, 200 pounds) and emerging from a relative obscurity in ways that captured fans' imagination.
—ABC News, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for obscurity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obscurity
Noun
-
Along with a looser framing, shadow and contrast highlight loneliness and emotional ambiguity.—
Daron James,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
-
American society—grotesquely unequal and divided, helpless before its demagogic and oligarchic manipulators—is no longer a stranger to the dark ambiguities of lopsided economic progress.—
Wyatt Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Converting that surplus draft capital into a meaningful haul of valuable talent is an essential first step if the club is to move through the competitive oblivion of this rebuilding process on any sort of expedited or reasonable timeline.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
-
Although Nilsson would likely disagree, her work affirms that all of us are drifting toward oblivion, with the best days of our lives like so much confetti in the wind.—
Jeremy Lybarger,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
That intrigue and mysteriousness still rest in the canyon walls today.—
Madison Dapcevich,
Outside,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Their departure was followed by a kind of thick, building-wide silence, when, just moments before, there had been voices in the stairwell, where at least three families had gathered to talk.—
Andrea Bajani,
New Yorker,
7 June 2026
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The silence of the canyon mouth was replaced by the soft rush of a creek, bird songs, and the constant cacophony of dragonflies and gnats.—
Elise Schmelzer,
Denver Post,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
One current staffer, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters, told me that the institution also explored hosting a restaged White House Correspondents’ Dinner.—
Janay Kingsberry,
The Atlantic,
6 June 2026
-
Both officials were briefed on the decisions and, along with others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Obscurity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obscurity. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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