1
as in ambiguous
having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning
a fantasy writer who likes to put lots of obscure references and images in her tales of wizards and warlocks
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2
as in unknown
not widely known
he's an obscure artist now, but he's sure to be famous someday
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3
as in darkened
being without light or without much light
hid in an obscure spot among the trees
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4
as in vague
not seen or understood clearly
a distinction so obscure that only the experts can really see it
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1
as in to conceal
to keep secret or shut off from view
the investigative reporters obscured their real motives for visiting the company by pretending the story was about something else
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2
as in to blur
to make dark, dim, or indistinct
when it isn't obscured by smog, the view of the city from the observatory can be spectacular
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of obscure
Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2025
His late-night attempt to fire Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook—citing obscure allegations of mortgage fraud—has now forced the courts into uncharted territory, testing whether a president can legally purge central bank officials who resist him.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2025
Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025
Except for nearly the 133,000 inmates and their families and loved ones none of these places have been obscured.
—Manuel Muñoz, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obscure
Adjective
In an era where Hollywood is always looking for the next big reboot, what better place to find a piece of brilliant undiscovered IP than a store stuffed with some of the most obscure VHS tapes ever made?
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2025
His late-night attempt to fire Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook—citing obscure allegations of mortgage fraud—has now forced the courts into uncharted territory, testing whether a president can legally purge central bank officials who resist him.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2025
Verb
Until now, scientists typically converted a spin current into an electrical signal to detect it, a process that obscures direct spin information.
—Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025
Except for nearly the 133,000 inmates and their families and loved ones none of these places have been obscured.
—Manuel Muñoz, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obscure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obscure
Adjective
-
Unlike Europe's clear regulatory framework under PSD2, American enterprises operate in a more ambiguous environment where implementation decisions must account for evolving compliance requirements and uncertain regulatory timelines.—
Dave Glaser,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Dani's on-again, off-again relationship with playboy photographer Andre — who's also her sister's ex's nephew — has become more ambiguous than ever in recent weeks.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The unprecedented nature of the election leaves a lot of variables unknown.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Do not drive around barricades or through water of unknown depth.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Over the weekend, around 16,000 people paid their respects to the designer at his funeral chamber at the Armani Teatro designed by Tadao Ando, filled with white flowers and paper lanterns on the floor in a diagonal grid formation dimly lit up the darkened venue.—
Luisa Zargani,
Footwear News,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Allowing the President to unlawfully remove Governor Cook on unsubstantiated and vague allegations would endanger the stability of our financial system and undermine the rule of law.—
Siladitya Ray,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
But many of the recommendations were vague or lacked the teeth some experts hoped to see from a document MAHA allies for months had said would dramatically transform the health of Americans.—
Will McDuffie,
ABC News,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The student allegedly admitted to taking the gun on Sunday while his uncle was in the shower and then bringing it onto the bus concealed in his pocket, according to the affidavit.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
8 Sep. 2025
-
She is charged with abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant, the Lexington Police Department said in a news release.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Long Walk uses the rawness of its spartan premise to venture deep into uncomfortable territory, culminating in an ending that blurs the lines between perseverance and defeat, hope and nihilism.—
James Grebey,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
-
On the third floor, The World of RH Bar and Lounge showcases highlights from other RH destinations around the world, including two jets RH One and Two, the RH Three yacht, and 26 restaurants and bars, showing how seamlessly the brand blurs the line between lifestyle and design.—
Erica Wertheim Zohar,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
But Fellowes remains cryptic when asked about possible spinoff series or films.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
-
The Maine native has a history of using her outfits to send cryptic messages.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, the outlook for heavier-duty Russian rocket engines is murky, at best.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Meanwhile, the Cowboys are coming off a Week 1 loss to the Eagles, and their immediate future is looking murky.—
Robert Marvi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obscure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obscure. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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