Categories: GeneralSynonyms

OBSCURE: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for OBSCURE?

Need another word that means the same as “obscure”? Find 85 synonyms and 30 related words for “obscure” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Obscure” are: unnoticeable, unknown, unsung, vague, dark, apart, isolated, hidden, unclear, uncertain, in doubt, doubtful, dubious, mysterious, hazy, indeterminate, concealed, little known, undistinguished, insignificant, unimportant, inconsequential, inconspicuous, unnoticed, nameless, anonymous, minor, humble, lowly, unrenowned, unrecognized, unhonoured, inglorious, forgotten, abstruse, recondite, arcane, esoteric, recherché, occult, indistinct, faint, ill-defined, blurred, blurry, misty, foggy, veiled, cloudy, clouded, nebulous, fuzzy, blot out, hide, obliterate, veil, blur, confuse, obnubilate, bedim, overcloud, becloud, befog, cloud, fog, haze over, mist, conceal, cover, shroud, screen, mask, cloak, cast a shadow over, shadow, envelop, mantle, block, block out, blank out, eclipse, overshadow, complicate, obfuscate, muddy

Obscure as a Verb

Definitions of "Obscure" as a verb

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “obscure” as a verb can have the following definitions:

  • Make unclear and difficult to understand.
  • Reduce a vowel to a neutral one, such as a schwa.
  • Make unclear, indistinct, or blurred.
  • Make undecipherable or imperceptible by obscuring or concealing.
  • Make obscure or unclear.
  • Keep from being known.
  • Make less visible or unclear.
  • Keep from being seen; conceal.

Synonyms of "Obscure" as a verb (33 Words)

becloudMake obscure or muddled.
Confusion beclouds the issue.
bedimCause to become dim.
A slight cloud would bedim the sky.
befogMake less visible or unclear.
Her brain was befogged with lack of sleep.
blank outKeep the opposing (baseball) team from winning.
blockSupport secure or raise with a block.
The narrow roads were blocked by cars.
block outStamp or emboss a title or design on a book with a block.
blot outDry (ink) with blotting paper.
blurMake unclear indistinct or blurred.
The distinction between the two theories blurred.
cast a shadow overForm by pouring (e.g., wax or hot metal) into a cast or mold.
cloakCover with or as if with a cloak.
Cloaked monks.
cloudDarken the sky with cloud.
Their faces were clouded with sadness.
complicateMake something more complicated.
There was a new development that complicated the matter.
concealHold back; keep from being perceived by others.
She conceals her anger well.
confuseCause to feel embarrassment.
The constant attention of the young man confused her.
coverProvide with a covering or cause to be covered.
This should cover everyone in the group.
eclipseCause an eclipse of a celestial body by intervention.
Jupiter was eclipsed by the Moon.
envelopEnclose or enfold completely with or as if with a covering.
A figure enveloped in a black cloak.
fogMake (a film, negative, or print) obscure or cloudy.
The windscreen was starting to fog up.
haze overHarass by imposing humiliating or painful tasks, as in military institutions.
hidePrevent (an emotion or fact) from being apparent or known; keep secret.
He used to hide out in a cave.
mantleCover like a mantle.
A warm pink mounted to the girl s cheeks and mantled her brow.
maskCover the face with a mask.
Mask the meat.
mistBecome covered with mist.
Don t mist furry leaved plants such as African violets.
muddyCause to become muddy.
The first year s results muddy rather than clarify the situation.
obfuscateBewilder (someone.
The spelling changes will deform some familiar words and obfuscate their etymological origins.
obliterateMark for deletion, rub off, or erase.
The special stamp should be placed on the left hand side and not be used to obliterate the postage stamp.
obnubilateMake less visible or unclear.
Their words obnubilate their intentions.
overcloudMake dark, gloomy, or obscure.
The darkness of the beginning overclouds the set.
overshadowCast a shadow upon.
He was always overshadowed by his brilliant elder brother.
screenConceal protect or shelter someone or something with a screen or something forming a screen.
Screen these samples.
shadowCast a shadow over.
A hood shadowed her face.
shroudWrap or dress a body in a shroud for burial.
The mystery which shrouds the origins of the universe.
veilCover with a veil.
Cold mists veiled the mountain peaks.

Usage Examples of "Obscure" as a verb

  • The distinction was obscured.
  • The debate has become obscured by conflicting ideological perspectives.
  • Grey clouds obscure the sun.
  • None of this should obscure the skill and perseverance of the workers.
  • The stars are obscured by the clouds.
  • The big elm tree obscures our view of the valley.

Obscure as an Adjective

Definitions of "Obscure" as an adjective

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “obscure” as an adjective can have the following definitions:

  • Not discovered or known about; uncertain.
  • Remote and separate physically or socially- W.H.Hudson.
  • Not clearly understood or expressed-Anatole Broyard- P.A.So.
  • Hard to define; vague.
  • Difficult to find.
  • Not drawing attention.
  • Not important or well known.
  • Not famous or acclaimed.
  • Marked by difficulty of style or expression.
  • Not clearly expressed or understood.
  • Dark or dim.
  • Not clearly expressed or easily understood.
  • Remote and separate physically or socially.

Synonyms of "Obscure" as an adjective (52 Words)

abstruseDifficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge.
The professor s lectures were so abstruse that students tended to avoid them.
anonymousHaving no outstanding, individual, or unusual features; unremarkable or impersonal.
An anonymous phone call.
apartRemote and separate physically or socially.
Existed over the centuries as a world apart.
arcaneRequiring secret or mysterious knowledge.
Arcane procedures for electing people.
blurredIndistinct or hazy in outline.
The blurred distinctions between childhood and adulthood.
blurryPerceived or remembered indistinctly.
Vision may be hazy or blurry for a few days after surgery.
cloudedMade troubled or apprehensive or distressed in appearance.
Sometimes one understood clearly and sometimes the meaning was clouded.
cloudy(of liquids) clouded as with sediment.
The pond water is slightly cloudy.
concealedHidden on any grounds for any motive.
Concealed or hidden damage.
darkOf a person having dark skin hair or eyes.
Dark green.
doubtfulNot known with certainty.
Of doubtful legality.
dubiousMorally suspect.
He holds the dubious distinction of being relegated with every club he has played for.
esotericConfined to and understandable by only an enlightened inner circle.
A compilation of esoteric philosophical theories.
faint(of a sight, smell, or sound) barely perceptible.
A faint clue to the origin of the mystery.
foggyUnable to think clearly; confused.
She was foggy with sleep.
forgottenNot noticed inadvertently.
He was scolded for his forgotten chores.
fuzzyHaving a frizzy texture or appearance.
Fuzzy fake fur throw pillows.
hazyIndistinct or hazy in outline.
The picture we have of him is extremely hazy.
hiddenNot accessible to view.
Hidden dangers.
humbleMarked by meekness or modesty; not arrogant or prideful.
She came from a humble unprivileged background.
ill-definedPoorly stated or described.
in doubtHolding office.
inconsequentialLacking worth or importance.
They talked about inconsequential things.
inconspicuousNot clearly visible or attracting attention.
An inconspicuous red brick building.
indeterminate(of a shoot) not having all the axes terminating in a flower bud and so potentially of indefinite length.
Of indeterminate age.
indistinctNot clearly defined or easy to perceive or understand.
An indistinct memory.
ingloriousNot bringing honor and glory.
Inglorious though the peasants may have been this is not synonymous with mute.
insignificantSignifying nothing.
Insignificant sounds.
isolatedCut off or left behind.
Tiny isolated villages remote from centers of civilization.
little knownLowercase.
lowlyOf low birth or station (`base’ is archaic in this sense.
A lowly corporal.
minorOf a premise containing the minor term in a categorical syllogism.
A minor poet.
misty(of a person’s eyes) full of tears so as to blur the vision.
The evening was cold and misty.
mysterious(of a location) having an atmosphere of strangeness or secrecy.
In its mysterious past it encompasses all the dim origins of life.
nameless(of a child) illegitimate.
His grandfather had been a nameless parentless child.
nebulousIn the form of a cloud or haze; hazy.
Nebulous concepts like quality of life.
occultHaving an import not apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence; beyond ordinary understanding.
Occult lore.
recherchéLavishly elegant and refined.
reconditeDifficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge.
The book is full of recondite information.
uncertainNot established or confirmed.
She spoke in no uncertain terms.
unclearNot easy to see, hear, or understand.
Users are still unclear about what middleware does.
undistinguishedNot worthy of notice.
An undistinguished career.
unhonouredNot given public praise or respect.
His first rate performances were largely unhonoured.
unimportantLacking in importance or significance.
The question seems unimportant.
unknownBeing or having an unknown or unnamed source.
An unknown island.
unnoticeableNot noticeable; not drawing attention- J.G.Cozzens.
Her clothes were simple and unnoticeable.
unnoticedNot noticed.
A deliberate kick that went unnoticed by the referee.
unrecognizedNot having a secure reputation.
Their contribution often goes unrecognized.
unrenownedNot renowned.
unsungHaving value that is not acknowledged.
Harvey is one of the unsung heroes of the industrial revolution.
vagueThinking or communicating in an unfocused or imprecise way.
Their descriptions of human behavior become vague dull and unclear.
veiledHaving or as if having a veil or concealing cover.
A young girl with a veiled face.

Usage Examples of "Obscure" as an adjective

  • An obscure village.
  • A relatively obscure actor.
  • An obscure family.
  • I feel an obscure resentment.
  • An obscure turn of phrase.
  • The obscure light of dawn.
  • His origins and parentage are obscure.
  • Those who do not appreciate Kafka's work say his style is obscure.
  • Obscure references to Proust.
  • An obscure flaw.
  • An impulse to go off and fight certain obscure battles of his own spirit.
  • An obscure retreat.

Associations of "Obscure" (30 Words)

abstruseDifficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge.
The professor s lectures were so abstruse that students tended to avoid them.
blurMake unclear indistinct or blurred.
In front of him the page blurred.
blurredUnclear in form or expression.
The camera caught only two blurred images.
blurryUnable to perceive clear or sharp images.
Vision may be hazy or blurry for a few days after surgery.
concealedHidden on any grounds for any motive.
A concealed compartment in his briefcase.
convolutedHighly complex or intricate and occasionally devious.
Convoluted legal language.
elusiveSkillful at eluding capture.
A cabal of conspirators each more elusive than the archterrorist.
esotericIntended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest.
A compilation of esoteric philosophical theories.
faintA spontaneous loss of consciousness caused by insufficient blood to the brain.
Only a faint recollection.
hazyIndistinct or hazy in outline.
School leavers were often hazy about employment.
imprecisionThe quality of lacking precision.
All scientific measurements come with some degree of imprecision.
inconspicuousNot prominent or readily noticeable.
He pushed the string through an inconspicuous hole.
indefiniteLasting for an unknown or unstated length of time.
Plans are indefinite.
indistinctNot clearly defined or easy to perceive or understand.
His speech was slurred and indistinct.
invisibleInvisible exports and imports.
Invisible rays.
nebulousLacking definition or definite content.
A giant nebulous glow.
nuanceGive nuances to.
Without understanding the finer nuances you can t enjoy the humor.
opaqueAn opaque thing.
Technical jargon that was opaque to her.
puzzlingNot clear to the understanding.
A puzzling statement.
reconditeDifficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge.
Some recondite problem in historiography.
subtle(of a mixture or effect) delicately complex and understated.
A subtle difference.
subtletyA subtle distinction, feature, or argument.
You had to admire the subtlety of the distinctions he drew.
triviaDetails, considerations, or pieces of information of little importance or value.
We fill our days with meaningless trivia.
unappreciatedHaving value that is not acknowledged.
She had been brought up in a family where she felt unappreciated and undervalued.
unclearNot easily deciphered.
The motive for this killing is unclear.
unknownAn unknown and unexplored region.
She is a relative unknown.
unnoticeableNot drawing attention.
The reverberation will be so slight as to be unnoticeable.
unobtrusiveNot obtrusive or undesirably noticeable.
A quiet unobtrusive life of self denial.
unsungHaving value that is not acknowledged.
Unsung heroes of the war.
vagueNot clearly understood or expressed-Anatole Broyard- P.A.So.
He had been very vague about his activities.
Alexei

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