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obscurity

obscurity

5 7.4
Hard to understand or see, making people feel confused
  • noun
  • /əbˈskjʊrɪti/
translation icon : incomprensibilidad
  • Bohr was notorious for the obscurity of his writing.
  • obscurities in the text

Examples

  • Calumny will lose its force; it collects its venom in the caverns of obscurity, but it is destroyed by the light of day.

    Academic text (2018)
  • There is some obscurity about the precise date of the original loan.

    Academic text (1999)
  • An excellent example of how conflicting questions and methods can relegate scholarship to obscurity comes from history.

    Academic text (1991)
  • Dickinson's poetry, as all who read her know, is challenging in its obscurity, an obscurity compounded by the complexities of her language.

    Academic text (2006)
  • The distant location of Gobernador Knob from major population centers further conspires to keep the knob in obscurity, with little visitation.

    Academic text (2001)
  • The author's obscurity made it difficult for many readers to understand her message.

  • Despite his talent, he remained in obscurity, unnoticed by the public.

  • The painting was shrouded in obscurity, causing debates about its true meaning.

Synonyms

mystery
vsobscurity
660 4.7

Something that is hard to understand or explain

is broader, including simple unclearness or low visibility
elusiveness
vsobscurity
3 7.4

Hard to find or understand

is more about being unclear or not easily seen or understood
opacity
vsobscurity
2 8.3

How hard something is to understand because it is unclear

is broader, also including not easily noticed things
inscrutability
vsobscurity
1 9.9

A quality that you cannot understand or know the reasons for

is less absolute, meaning unclear or hard to understand
incomprehensibility
vsobscurity
1 9.9

A state where something is very hard to understand

is milder, meaning simply unclear or not easily seen
mysteriousness
vsobscurity
1 5.2

A quality of being hard to understand and making people curious

is more neutral, focusing on lack of clarity or visibility
indecipherability
vsobscurity
1 9.9

A difficulty understanding handwriting, signs, or codes

covers general unclearness not only unreadable forms
inexplicability
vsobscurity
1 9.8

A state when something cannot be explained or understood

focuses more generally on being unclear or not seen
abstruseness
vsobscurity
  • Formal
1 9.9

Difficulty understanding something because it is complex or unclear

is broader, including simple lack of visibility or recognition
obscuration
vsobscurity
1 8.2

Something that stops you from seeing or understanding

covers the state of being unclear rather than the hiding act
hiddenness
vsobscurity
1 7.8

A state in which something is out of sight and hard to notice or understand

can also refer to things that are unclear without intent to hide
imperceptibility
vsobscurity
1 9.5

A state of being very hard to notice

adds the idea of being hard to understand as well as see
invisibleness
vsobscurity
1 8.6

The state of not being able to be seen

is more general, including mental unclear or unnoticed states
underexposure
vsobscurity
1 7.5

A situation where someone or something gets little public attention

focuses on unclear or unseen quality rather than publicity
impenetrability
vsobscurity
9.9

Very hard to understand because the ideas are unclear or complicated

is broader, covering both complexity and simple lack of clarity
abstrusity
vsobscurity
  • Formal
9.9

The quality of being very difficult to understand because it is complex

is less technical, meaning simply unclear or not noticed
reconditeness
vsobscurity
  • Formal
9.9

Difficulty understanding something because it is very complex

applies also to simple unclear or unseen things
opaqueness
vsobscurity
  • Formal
8.7

How hard it is to understand something because its meaning is unclear

can also mean being physically hard to see or recognise
obscureness
vsobscurity
8.9

State of being hard to understand

is the main term but the same in basic sense
enigmaticness
vsobscurity
9.2

A state of being mysterious and hard to understand

is similar but more neutral, not necessarily puzzling
crypticness
vsobscurity
  • Specialized
8.9

A quality of blending into surroundings so something is hard to see

includes both visual and mental lack of clarity or notice
indiscernibility
vsobscurity
9.9

A state in which something is impossible to see or tell apart

is broader, covering unclear meaning as well as perception
unnoticeableness
vsobscurity
8.4

A state of not being seen or heard by other people

also covers lack of clear meaning, not only low visibility
indistinction
vsobscurity
9.6

A state of being unknown and not noticed by many people

focuses on unclear or hard-to-see qualities rather than fame

Antonyms

152 3.0

How easy it is to understand what someone says or writes

1 5.1

How easy it is to notice or identify something

How Obscure

obscurity
5 7.4
opacity
2 8.3
ambiguity
57 6.3
vagueness
8 6.1

Surface Forms

obscurity singular
obscurities plural

Morphology

obscurity = obscure (transparent) = obscure + ity

Formed regularly from the adjective 'obscure' plus the noun-forming suffix '-ity'; the meaning 'state or quality of being obscure' is directly predictable.

Etymology

Obscurity comes from the Latin obscurus meaning 'dark' or 'hidden'. Think of an explanation as if it is in the dark — hard to see or understand, so obscurity means 'unclear' or 'difficult to understand'.