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
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
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Liberal hero Stephen Colbert’s long swan song into podcast oblivion showed how clueless Democrats are who worship the rich TV host who lost his job because his show lost $40 million a year for CBS.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
28 May 2026
-
Performance issues that should be addressed early get documented into oblivion and quietly managed around.—
Darrin Lipscomb,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
That intrigue and mysteriousness still rest in the canyon walls today.—
Madison Dapcevich,
Outside,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Doors of hushed rooms swung open, and the celebration permeated deafening silence.—
Joel Lorenzi,
New York Times,
31 May 2026
-
Indigenous and elemental – Lapland In Swedish Lapland, the Indigenous Sámi community marks Midsummer with fire, silence, and story.—
Lea Lane,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
The official spoke on condition of anonymity to offer more candid remarks.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 May 2026
-
The three people, like others interviewed for this account, spoke to The Washington Post on the condition of anonymity to share internal deliberations.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Obscurity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obscurity. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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