WordValeobscure
not clearly expressed or easily understood
In more detail
1. (adjective) not clearly expressed or easily understood; unclear
2. (adjective) not well known; not famous
3. (verb) to make something difficult to see or understand
Examples
- 1. The poem's meaning is quite obscure and requires careful analysis.
- 2. He was an obscure artist until his work was discovered by a major museum.
- 3. The heavy fog obscured our view of the mountains.
How to use obscure
As an adjective, 'obscure' describes something that is difficult to understand or is not widely known; it often carries a neutral or slightly negative tone depending on context. As a verb, it means to deliberately or unintentionally make something harder to perceive or comprehend. The term is common in academic, literary, and analytical contexts.
Common phrases
- obscure reference
- obscure language
- obscure meaning
- obscure an issue
- relatively obscure
Synonyms
unclear · vague · ambiguous · cryptic · enigmatic
Opposites
clear · obvious · famous
Word family
obscurely (adverb) · obscurity (noun) · obscureness (noun)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes use 'obscure' only for the 'unclear' meaning and miss its equally important sense of 'not famous or well-known.'
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