# obscure

/əbˈskjʊɹ/ (US) · /ɒbskjˈɔː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/obscure
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. not well-known

adjective · CEFR B2

not known by many people.

For teachers: lacking fame or prominence; not widely known or celebrated.

- The library has a large collection of books by obscure poets from the 1800s.
- The researcher spent years tracking down an obscure legal document that had been misfiled in the local archives since the late nineteenth century.

### 2. difficult to understand

adjective · CEFR B2

difficult to understand because the meaning is not clear.

For teachers: difficult to comprehend or interpret; lacking clarity in expression or meaning.

- The instructions were so obscure that I had to ask for help.
- The philosopher's later works are notoriously obscure, requiring extensive commentary for even advanced students to grasp the core arguments.

### 3. hard to see

adjective · CEFR C1 · Literary

difficult to see clearly because it is dark or hidden.

For teachers: indistinct or faint to the sight; lacking sufficient light or sharpness to be clearly perceived.

- We could just see the obscure shape of a boat through the thick fog.
- The obscure outlines of the mountains were barely visible against the moonless sky, creating a sense of isolation for the travellers.

### 4. to hide or cover

verb · CEFR B2

to cover something so that it is difficult to see or understand.

For teachers: to conceal or hide by covering; to make something less visible or intelligible.

- The clouds moved across the sky and started to obscure the moon.
- The tall new office building will unfortunately obscure the historic cathedral's facade from this side of the river.

Usage: This is a transitive verb that always takes a direct object.

## Examples

- Thick clouds started to obscure the sun just before the storm hit.
- The politician used long, complicated sentences to obscure the fact that he had no real plan.
- The manager's deliberate use of technical jargon served only to obscure the underlying financial risks, leaving the board unaware of the impending crisis.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.