Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [uh b-skyoo r]
- /əbˈskyʊər/
- /əbˈskjʊər/
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [uh b-skyoo r]
- /əbˈskyʊər/
Definitions of obscure word
- adjective obscure (of meaning) not clear or plain; ambiguous, vague, or uncertain: an obscure sentence in the contract. 1
- adjective obscure not clear to the understanding; hard to perceive: obscure motivations. 1
- adjective obscure (of language, style, a speaker, etc.) not expressing the meaning clearly or plainly. 1
- adjective obscure indistinct to the sight or any other sense; not readily seen, heard, etc.; faint. 1
- adjective obscure inconspicuous or unnoticeable: the obscure beginnings of a great movement. 1
- adjective obscure of little or no prominence, note, fame, or distinction: an obscure French artist. 1
Information block about the term
Origin of obscure
First appearance:
before 1350 One of the 20% oldest English words
1350-1400; Middle English < Old French oscur, obscur < Latin obscūrus dark
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Obscure
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
obscure popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 96% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
obscure usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for obscure
verb obscure
- confuse — If you confuse two things, you get them mixed up, so that you think one of them is the other one.
- disguise — to change the appearance or guise of so as to conceal identity or mislead, as by means of deceptive garb: The king was disguised as a peasant.
- conceal — If you conceal something, you cover it or hide it carefully.
- complicate — To complicate something means to make it more difficult to understand or deal with.
- obfuscate — to confuse, bewilder, or stupefy.
adjective obscure
- incomprehensible — impossible to understand or comprehend; unintelligible.
- unclear — free from darkness, obscurity, or cloudiness; light: a clear day.
- vague — not clearly or explicitly stated or expressed: vague promises.
- ambiguous — If you describe something as ambiguous, you mean that it is unclear or confusing because it can be understood in more than one way.
- doubtful — of uncertain outcome or result.
Antonyms for obscure
verb obscure
- clarify — To clarify something means to make it easier to understand, usually by explaining it in more detail.
- brighten — If someone brightens or their face brightens, they suddenly look happier.
- clear — Something that is clear is easy to understand, see, or hear.
- clear up — When you clear up or clear a place up, you tidy things and put them away.
- explain — Make (an idea, situation, or problem) clear to someone by describing it in more detail or revealing relevant facts or ideas.
adjective obscure
- famous — having a widespread reputation, usually of a favorable nature; renowned; celebrated: a famous writer. Synonyms: famed, notable, illustrious. Antonyms: unknown, obscure.
- common — If something is common, it is found in large numbers or it happens often.
- definite — If something such as a decision or an arrangement is definite, it is firm and clear, and unlikely to be changed.
- known — past participle of know1 .
- obvious — easily seen, recognized, or understood; open to view or knowledge; evident: an obvious advantage.
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See also
Matching words
- Words starting with o
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