Obscure (Adjective)
Meaning 1
Not famous or acclaimed; "an obscure family"; "unsung heroes of the war".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- Though the artist's work is gaining recognition now, she was an obscure painter during her lifetime.
- The obscure town on the map was never visited by tourists due to its remote location.
- Many unsung heroes of the war were from obscure villages that were never mentioned in history books.
- The book's sales increased only after its author's other famous works raised awareness about her obscure novel.
- Despite the author's later success, her debut novel was initially met with indifference and remained an obscure book for years.
Synonyms
Related Words
Meaning 2
Not drawing attention; "an unnoticeable cigarette burn on the carpet"; "an obscure flaw".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- A small, obscure smudge on the mirror was barely visible to the naked eye.
- The obscure scuff on the wall was hidden behind a large piece of furniture.
- An obscure flaw in the software went undetected for months.
- The obscure stain on the couch was easy to miss.
- A tiny, obscure scratch on the CD made it difficult to read.
Synonyms
Meaning 3
Difficult to find; "hidden valleys"; "a hidden cave"; "an obscure retreat".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The village was tucked away in an obscure valley, making it a challenge for tourists to locate without a guide.
- The obscure inn was a favorite among locals, but its secluded location made it hard for outsiders to stumble upon it.
- A small stream led to an obscure waterfall that only a handful of adventure-seekers knew about.
- The artist's obscure retreat in the mountains was where she found her most creative inspiration.
- Nestled deep in the forest was an obscure cabin, accessible only by a narrow dirt path that few people knew existed.
Synonyms
Meaning 4
Marked by difficulty of style or expression; "much that was dark is now quite clear to me"; "those who do not appreciate Kafka's work say his style is obscure".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The professor struggled to interpret the obscure passages in the ancient text, which made it nearly impossible for her to understand its full meaning.
- Critics have praised the poet's latest collection for its precise and evocative language, which sheds light on previously obscure themes and emotions.
- Due to the obscure dialect used by the painter in his notebooks, art historians have been unable to decipher the exact inspiration behind some of his most famous works.
- The author's writing style was often criticized for being obscure, but this complexity was also what made his novels so thought-provoking and rewarding to read.
- Scholars have long debated the meaning of the obscure inscription on the ancient temple wall, with some arguing it is a riddle and others believing it to be a coded message.
Synonyms
Related Words
Meaning 5
Not clearly expressed or understood; "an obscure turn of phrase"; "an impulse to go off and fight certain obscure battles of his own spirit"-Anatole Broyard; "their descriptions of human behavior become vague, dull, and unclear"- P.A.Sorokin; "vague...forms of speech...have so long passed for mysteries of science"- John Locke.
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The philosopher's obscure use of metaphors left many of his readers confused.
- Her obscure references to ancient mythology went over the heads of most of her classmates.
- The doctor's diagnosis was based on an obscure symptom that had not been documented before.
- The artist's obscure style made it difficult for critics to interpret the meaning behind his paintings.
- The economist's obscure explanation of the market trends caused many to question his credentials.
Synonyms
Related Words
Meaning 6
Remote and separate physically or socially; "existed over the centuries as a world apart"; "preserved because they inhabited a place apart"- W.H.Hudson; "tiny isolated villages remote from centers of civilization"; "an obscure village".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The villagers lived in an obscure valley, surrounded by mountains that made it inaccessible to outsiders.
- An obscure monastery stood on the top of the hill, hidden from the rest of the world by a dense forest.
- The remote town had been an obscure part of the country, unknown to many until the recent tourist boom.
- The island community existed as an obscure world apart, with its own unique culture and traditions that were distinct from the mainland.
- A winding dirt road led to an obscure settlement, where a small group of families lived in isolation from the rest of society.