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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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
In the era of the internet, the circuitous, often murky, nature of art and inspiration plays out in a collective conversation that benefits from a degree of obscurity.
—
Hali Bey Ramdene, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 Apr. 2025
His sister’s rationale for sticking with Malassezia was that the name’s obscurity would shield it from scrutiny.
—Ashley Vega, People.com, 26 May 2025
Less visible are the civil rights struggles its Asian American community fought to attain.
State of play: Though figures like Wong Kim Ark have received more attention in recent years, there are still a plethora who remain in obscurity.
—Shawna Chen, Axios, 22 May 2025
Souter's very obscurity became the deciding factor in his favor, in addition to his state judicial experience and impeccable academic credentials—Harvard undergraduate (Phi Beta Kappa) and law degrees, along with one from Oxford, earned as a Rhodes Scholar.
—Barbara A. Perry, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for obscurity
Hali Bey Ramdene, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 Apr. 2025
His sister’s rationale for sticking with Malassezia was that the name’s obscurity would shield it from scrutiny.
—Ashley Vega, People.com, 26 May 2025
Less visible are the civil rights struggles its Asian American community fought to attain.
State of play: Though figures like Wong Kim Ark have received more attention in recent years, there are still a plethora who remain in obscurity.
—Shawna Chen, Axios, 22 May 2025
Souter's very obscurity became the deciding factor in his favor, in addition to his state judicial experience and impeccable academic credentials—Harvard undergraduate (Phi Beta Kappa) and law degrees, along with one from Oxford, earned as a Rhodes Scholar.
—Barbara A. Perry, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for obscurity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obscurity
Noun
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With a multigenerational workforce and increasingly younger workforce seeking transparency, consider creating cultures where ambiguity is discussed openly, not masked with false certainty.—
Arthi Rabikrisson,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
-
Lynch opened up a whole new space where ambiguity wasn’t just tolerated — it was embraced.—
Ben Croll,
Variety,
12 June 2025
Noun
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Once so glorious on the outside, but now sinking more and more into oblivion.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2025
-
Now, operated by the famed restaurateur Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group, the View is making a bid for something beyond travel-guidebook oblivion.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
18 May 2025
Noun
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The veteran guard has now broken his silence on the deal with a simple emoji message.—
Matt Levine,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 June 2025
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The researchers of the 2022 study also found that people on the receiving end of indirect attacks also end up responding with silence, politeness or attempts to smooth things over.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
15 June 2025
Noun
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The case also prompted the resignation of a top supervisor in the U.S. attorney's office in Nashville, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a personnel matter.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 June 2025
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The person requested anonymity to disclose private matters.—
Chris Megerian,
Chicago Tribune,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obscurity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obscurity. Accessed 21 Jun. 2025.
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