Obscure
/əbˈskjʊr/
adjectiveverbB2
Definition
As an adjective, obscure describes something that is not easy to see, understand, or know about. It can mean unclear, hidden, or unknown. As a verb, it means to hide something or make it less clear or less known.
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See It in Action
Not clear or easy to understand (adjective)
- •The meaning of the poem was obscure to many readers.
- •His explanation was obscure and confusing.
- •The old book contains many obscure words.
Hidden or not well known (adjective)
- •The artist was obscure before becoming famous.
- •They visited an obscure village in the mountains.
- •The fact is obscure and not often talked about.
To hide or make unclear (verb)
- •Clouds obscure the sun during the storm.
- •The thick trees obscure the path.
- •His true feelings were obscured by his smile.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "obscure" like "dark" (A1 word), but for ideas or things—something is not bright or clear in meaning
- ✓Picture a foggy window where you cannot see clearly what is outside
- ✓It's the feeling when someone speaks quietly or uses hard words, and you don’t understand well
- ✓Sounds like "ob-SKURE" → imagine something being covered by a dark curtain, making it hard to see
- ✓Think of a secret place or a small village that few people know about—it's obscure because it is hidden or unknown
- ✓NOT like "clear" (easy to see or understand), obscure means the opposite—hidden or unclear
- ✓As a verb, NOT like "show" (make visible), obscure means to cover or hide something so it is hard to notice
- ✓NOT like "famous" (well known), obscure means little known or not famous
Try Other Words
- •Hidden: not seen or known (Use when talking about something physically or factually not visible or known)
- •Unknown: not known by many people (Use when emphasizing lack of fame or knowledge)
- •Unclear: not easy to understand or see (Use when focusing on difficulty to understand)
- •Conceal: to hide something (Use as a verb when something is purposely hidden)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "ob-" (against, towards) + "scure" (from Latin "scurus," related to darkness or hiding)
- •Etymology: From Latin "obscurus," meaning dark, hidden, or unclear
- •Historical development: Used since the 1400s to describe things that are not clear or hard to understand, or things hidden from view
- •Modern usage: Used both as adjective and verb to describe unclear ideas, hidden places, or the action of hiding or covering
Reflect & Connect
•Can something be both obscure and important? How do we find value in things that are hard to understand or unknown?
•How does making information obscure affect how people understand or trust it?
Fill in the blanks
1.The meaning of the text was obscure because the author used many ___ words and complex ideas.
2.Heavy fog can obscure ___, making it dangerous to drive.
3.The village is obscure and ___ by many travelers because it is far from the city.
4.When he spoke quietly, his words became ___ and hard to ___.
5.The artist remained obscure for years before ___ by the public.
6.Some facts are deliberately obscured to ___ the truth from people.
7.Unlike famous landmarks, obscure places often ___ fewer visitors and remain hidden.