obfuscation
12
8.7
- noun
- /ˌɑb.fəˈskeɪ.ʃən/
- Formal
:
ofuscación
- The work of imperial exploration and settlement in the northeast thus involved a systematic obfuscation of Native space.
- obfuscation and denial
I'm aware of his extraordinary capacity for denial, for obfuscation, for confusion.
- I'm aware of his extraordinary capacity for denial, for obfuscation, for confusion.
- And that is a masterwork in kind of slippery slope and obfuscation.
- You're having obfuscation by the waves and that's why you can't see this, right?
Examples
-
Benazir Bhutto was caught in a game that demanded obfuscation and distortion.
Academic text (1991) -
In his speech, the politician used obfuscation to avoid answering the tough questions directly.
-
When the text is obscure, explanation may be a form of obfuscation.
Academic text (2006) -
We expect openness, and we get obfuscation.
-
There are many cunning attempts at obfuscation regarding the oil flow rate as well.
Blog text (5) -
I'm aware of his extraordinary capacity for denial, for obfuscation, for confusion.
-
Thus, society must resist the temptation to engage in obfuscation and denial.
Academic text (2008) -
In our exploration of the text, we will learn about objectification, subjugation, and obfuscation.
-
Now there are layers and layers of obfuscation separating humans from direct apprehension of events.
Blog text (5) -
Labeling Reagan a "pragmatist" is therefore more than a mere obfuscation of his ideology.
Academic text (2011)
Synonyms
21
8.3
Confusing talk that hides the truth or tries to impress people
6
9.0
Confusing speech that hides the truth, often to avoid a direct answer
3
8.1
Making things confusing so people feel puzzled
2
8.3
How hard something is to understand because it is unclear
1
9.9
A policy of making information hard to understand to stop people learning facts
1
8.2
Something that stops you from seeing or understanding
1
9.9
A difficulty understanding handwriting, signs, or codes
How hard it is to understand something because its meaning is unclear
A quality of being mysterious and hard to understand
Antonyms
How Obscure
Surface Forms
Morphology
obfuscation = obfuscate (transparent) = ob + fusc + ion
A regular nominalization of the verb 'obfuscate' using the suffix '-ion' yields 'obfuscation', making the relation clear to learners who know the verb.
Etymology
Obfuscation comes from Latin parts ob- and fuscus, where fuscus means 'dark'. A helpful way to remember it is to think of 'making something dark' so people cannot see the meaning, which is why obfuscation means making things unclear or confusing, often on purpose.