obscure
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.not known by many people.
adj.lacking fame or prominence; not widely known or celebrated.
Simple“The library has a large collection of books by obscure poets from the 1800s.”
In context“The researcher spent years tracking down an obscure legal document that had been misfiled in the local archives since the late nineteenth century.”
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.difficult to understand because the meaning is not clear.
adj.difficult to comprehend or interpret; lacking clarity in expression or meaning.
Simple“The instructions were so obscure that I had to ask for help.”
In context“The philosopher's later works are notoriously obscure, requiring extensive commentary for even advanced students to grasp the core arguments.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
adj.difficult to see clearly because it is dark or hidden.
adj.indistinct or faint to the sight; lacking sufficient light or sharpness to be clearly perceived.
Simple“We could just see the obscure shape of a boat through the thick fog.”
In context“The obscure outlines of the mountains were barely visible against the moonless sky, creating a sense of isolation for the travellers.”
Synonyms - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to cover something so that it is difficult to see or understand.
v.to conceal or hide by covering; to make something less visible or intelligible.
Simple“The clouds moved across the sky and started to obscure the moon.”
In context“The tall new office building will unfortunately obscure the historic cathedral's facade from this side of the river.”
UsageThis is a transitive verb that always takes a direct object.
Usage obscure difference
“Towering smoke plumes caused by wildfires can obscure sunlight and impair plant photosynthesis.”
“The weather forecast shows temperatures in the high 20s or low 30s are expected across the region, while clouds are unlikely to obscure the sun.”
From Middle English obscure, from Old French obscur, from Latin obscūrus (“dark, dusky, indistinct”), from ob- + scūrus, from Proto-Italic skoiros, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ḱeh₃-. Doublet of oscuro.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.