obscure
gb/əbskjˈʊɹ/ us/əbskjˈʊɹ/
B1
English
~ 3900
homályos, nehezen érthető, nem világos, zavaros, elfed, elhomályosít, eltakar, kevésbé ismert, eldugott, ismeretlen
B2
1
Usage pattern:
[something] is obscure
The instructions were obscure and difficult to follow.
Az utasítások homályosak és nehezen követhetők voltak.
He is an expert on an obscure 14th-century poet.
Ő egy kevésbé ismert 14. századi költő szakértője.
The true meaning of the symbol remains obscure.
Learner examples
The rules are obscure.
A szabályok homályosak.
That word has an obscure meaning.
Annak a szónak homályos a jelentése.
The answer is obscure.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'obscure' with 'abstract'; 'abstract' relates to ideas that are not physical, while 'obscure' refers to something unclear or little known.
Meaning
not clear or hard to understand
Collocations
obscure meaning
|obscure reference
|obscure fact
|obscure origin
Synonyms
unclear (More common in everyday speech; lacks the slightly formal or academic tone of 'obscure'.)
|
vague (Implies lack of detail or precision, not necessarily rarity.)
Antonyms
clear (Directly opposite in meaning; something easy to understand or see.)
|
obvious (Implies immediately apparent or easily noticed.)
Themes
communication
|knowledge
|understanding
|education
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Not clear or easy to understand; not well known.
Not clearly expressed, easily understood, or well known.
VERB
B2
2
Usage pattern:
to obscure [something]
Clouds obscured the mountain peak.
A felhők eltakarták a hegycsúcsot.
The report was written in a way that obscured the facts.
Úgy fogalmazták meg a jelentést, hogy az elfedte a tényeket.
His long speech only served to obscure the main point.
Learner examples
The fog obscured the road.
A köd eltakarta az utat.
He obscured the truth.
Elfödte az igazságot.
The clouds obscure the sun.
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse 'hide' instead of 'obscure'; 'hide' often implies intentional action, while 'obscure' can be unintentional.
Meaning
to make unclear or hide
Collocations
obscure the truth
|obscure the view
|obscure details
Synonyms
conceal (Focuses more on hiding from view, not necessarily making confusing.)
|
blur (Often used for vision; can also mean make unclear figuratively.)
Antonyms
reveal (Means to make something known or visible.)
|
clarify (Means to make something easier to understand.)
Themes
communication
|vision
|information
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To hide something or make it hard to understand.
To make something less visible, less understandable, or less well known.
B1
3
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] is obscure
The film features an obscure actor from the 1980s.
A filmben egy kevésbé ismert, nyolcvanas évekbeli színész szerepel.
They visited an obscure village in the mountains.
Egy eldugott hegyi faluba látogattak el.
It’s an obscure tradition practiced only in this region.
Learner examples
He is an obscure singer.
Ő egy kevésbé ismert énekes.
This is an obscure town.
Ez egy kevésbé ismert város.
That rule is obscure.
Meaning
not well known or famous
Collocations
obscure artist
|obscure law
|obscure location
Synonyms
unknown (Plain and direct; lacks the formal tone of 'obscure'.)
|
unfamiliar (Implies not recognized by someone personally, not necessarily rare generally.)
Antonyms
famous (Widely known and recognized by many people.)
|
well-known (Commonly recognized or familiar to many people.)
Themes
fame
|knowledge
|core_vocabulary
|communication
Definition
Known by very few people.
Not known by many people; not famous or popular.
Grammar
Dictionary form
obscure
IPA
GB/əbskjˈʊɹ/
US/əbskjˈʊɹ/
Syllables & stress
ob - scure (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (scure)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: obscure
Verb
- Base: obscure
- 3rd Person Singular: obscures
- Present Participle: obscuring
- Past: obscured
Word family
Expressions
in the obscurity of
1/ˈɪn ðə əbskjˈʊɹəti əv/
fixed phrase
literary
hidden or unknown in a place/situation
In a dark, hidden, or unknown place or situation.
Examples
- In the obscurity of the basement, we found old photographs.
- The animal lived in the obscurity of the dense jungle.
throw into obscurity
1/θɹˈoʊ ˈɪntu əbskjˈʊɹəti/
idiom
make less known/understood suddenly
To suddenly make something less known or less clear.
Examples
- The scandal threw the politician's achievements into obscurity.
- New research threw old theories into obscurity.
fade into obscurity
1/fˈeɪd ˈɪntu əbskjˈʊɹəti/
idiom
Gradually be forgotten by public
To slowly be forgotten by most people.
Examples
- After one hit song, the singer faded into obscurity.
- After one hit song, the band faded into obscurity.
- Many old inventions have faded into obscurity.
- Many inventions fade into obscurity when better ones appear.
fade into obscurity
2/fˈeɪd ˈɪntu əbskjˈʊɹəti/
idiom
slowly become unknown again
To slowly stop being noticed or remembered, until almost nobody knows about you or it.
Examples
- After one hit song, the band faded into obscurity.
- Many internet celebrities quickly fade into obscurity.
- Without new ideas, the company may fade into obscurity.