1
: blocking the passage of radiant energy and especially light : exhibiting opacity (see opacity sense 1)
2
a
: hard to understand or explain
opaque prose
b
opaque
noun
opaquely
adverb
opaqueness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of opaque in a Sentence
In the opening hour, a group of strangers receive a maddeningly opaque cell-phone summons to join a secret cross-country race with a $32 million prize. The thing is, the summons can also be a threat (one competitor's wife is possibly being held captive), and the consequences of falling behind are murderous.
—
Tom Gliatto, People, 23 Apr. 2007
The reality facing Rory Stewart was that he was sent into a collapsed rural region in a country of which he knew almost nothing, and in which he had to find his way through a maze of opaque tribal and religious relationships.
—Robert Skidelsky, New York Review of Books, 5 Oct. 2006
Arborio rice, the kind that grows in the Po Valley and gave rise to the wonderful dish risotto, has a tiny opaque white pearl on the inside that remains al dente, and starch on the outside that the grains release during cooking, making a creamy sauce.
—Corby Kummer, Atlantic, March 1993
the opaque water of the muddy river
somehow listeners seem to connect with the songwriter, despite his deeply personal, often opaque lyrics
Tom Gliatto, People, 23 Apr. 2007
The reality facing Rory Stewart was that he was sent into a collapsed rural region in a country of which he knew almost nothing, and in which he had to find his way through a maze of opaque tribal and religious relationships.
—Robert Skidelsky, New York Review of Books, 5 Oct. 2006
Arborio rice, the kind that grows in the Po Valley and gave rise to the wonderful dish risotto, has a tiny opaque white pearl on the inside that remains al dente, and starch on the outside that the grains release during cooking, making a creamy sauce.
—Corby Kummer, Atlantic, March 1993
the opaque water of the muddy river
somehow listeners seem to connect with the songwriter, despite his deeply personal, often opaque lyrics
Recent Examples on the Web
The main selling point of our domains may be the metaphor or emotional invocations, so the connection to keywords is tangential or opaque.
—Darpan Munjal, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024
Each of its neutral shades come in a velvety matte finish that stays opaque and crease-free without drying your skin.
—Sarah Han, Allure, 21 Dec. 2024
The higher the denier, the more opaque the tights will look.
—L.a. Hubilla, People.com, 19 Dec. 2024
The overall effect has been destabilising and if Howe cannot appease his dressing-room with new signings — or any other tangible evidence of ambition — the big picture threatens to become opaque.
—George Caulkin, The Athletic, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for opaque 
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Darpan Munjal, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024
Each of its neutral shades come in a velvety matte finish that stays opaque and crease-free without drying your skin.
—Sarah Han, Allure, 21 Dec. 2024
The higher the denier, the more opaque the tights will look.
—L.a. Hubilla, People.com, 19 Dec. 2024
The overall effect has been destabilising and if Howe cannot appease his dressing-room with new signings — or any other tangible evidence of ambition — the big picture threatens to become opaque.
—George Caulkin, The Athletic, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for opaque
Dictionary Entries Near opaque
Cite this Entry
“Opaque.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opaque. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
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