opaque
gb/oʊpˈeɪk/ us/oʊpˈeɪk/
B2
Inglês
Acepções
0 acepção
adjective
B2
property
1
not letting light through
If something is opaque, you cannot see through it.
Padrão de uso:
[material/object] is opaque
Erro comum:
Do not confuse opaque (not see-through) with translucent (lets light through but not clear shapes) or transparent (completely see-through).
Sinônimos
nontransparent (Direct synonym; more technical-sounding.)
|
not see-through (Common, informal paraphrase.)
Antônimos
transparent (You can see clearly through it.)
|
translucent (Light passes through, but images are not clear.)
Colocações
opaque glass
|opaque plastic
|opaque bottle
|opaque container
|opaque film
|opaque curtain
|opaque paint
|opaque surface
|opaque window
|opaque lens cap
Temas
materials
|everyday_objects
Exemplos
- The bathroom window is made of opaque glass for privacy.
- She poured the juice into an opaque bottle so it wouldn’t be exposed to light.
- The paint dries to an opaque finish after two coats.
Exemplos para estudantes
- This cup is opaque, so I can’t see inside.
- The bag is opaque and hides the contents.
adjective
C1
property
2
hard to understand
If something is opaque, it is not clear and is hard to understand.
Padrão de uso:
[statement/text/idea] is opaque (to [someone])
Erro comum:
Opaque usually suggests unnecessary or frustrating lack of clarity, not simply ‘difficult’ in a neutral way.
Sinônimos
unclear (General and common; less formal.)
|
obscure (Often suggests unusually difficult or specialized.)
Antônimos
clear (Easy to understand.)
|
straightforward (Clear and simple, without complexity.)
Colocações
opaque language
|opaque writing
|opaque explanation
|opaque argument
|opaque theory
|opaque passage
|opaque reference
|opaque sentence
|opaque terminology
|opaque style
Temas
communication
|education
Exemplos
- His instructions were so opaque that nobody knew what to do next.
- The report is full of opaque jargon that hides the main point.
- Without context, the final paragraph feels opaque to most readers.
Exemplos para estudantes
- The teacher’s explanation was opaque to me.
- This sentence is opaque and needs to be rewritten.
adjective
formal
C1
property
3
not open or transparent
If a system is opaque, people can’t see how it works because information is hidden.
Padrão de uso:
[process/system/organization] is opaque
Erro comum:
In this meaning, opaque is about secrecy or lack of disclosure, not about physical materials.
Sinônimos
nontransparent (Common in business/government contexts.)
|
secretive (Emphasizes deliberate hiding of information.)
Antônimos
transparent (Open and easy to examine or understand.)
|
open (Willing to share information; not secretive.)
Colocações
opaque process
|opaque decision-making
|opaque rules
|opaque criteria
|opaque system
|opaque fees
|opaque pricing
|opaque bureaucracy
|opaque accounting
|opaque ownership structure
Temas
business
|government
|law_and_policy
Exemplos
- The hiring process felt opaque, and applicants received no feedback.
- Critics say the company’s ownership structure is opaque.
- The rules for getting a refund are deliberately opaque.
Exemplos para estudantes
- The fees are opaque, so I don’t know the total cost.
- The decision-making process is opaque.
adjective
technical
C1
property
4
hiding internal details (computing)
In computing, an opaque thing hides its internal structure from the user.
Padrão de uso:
[type/object/handle] is opaque
Erro comum:
This is a specialized technical meaning; in everyday English opaque usually refers to materials or unclear communication.
Sinônimos
encapsulated (Emphasizes that details are bundled and hidden behind an interface.)
|
abstract (Often similar, but can focus more on concept than on deliberate hiding.)
Antônimos
transparent (Internal details are visible or inspectable.)
Colocações
opaque type
|opaque object
|opaque handle
|opaque pointer
|opaque interface
|opaque data structure
|opaque token
|opaque identifier
|opaque reference
|opaque API
Temas
computing
|software
Exemplos
- The library returns an opaque handle that you pass back to its functions.
- The API uses an opaque token, so clients shouldn’t assume anything about its format.
- It’s an opaque type, so you can’t access its fields directly.
Exemplos para estudantes
- The function returns an opaque token.
- This is an opaque type in the API.
Gramática
Forma no dicionário
opaque
AFI
GB/oʊpˈeɪk/
US/oʊpˈeɪk/
Sílabas e tonicidade
opaque (1 sílaba)
Formas da palavra
Adjective
- Base: opaque
Família de palavras
Core family
opacity
noun C1
Related words
opaquely
adverb
Negative and opposite forms
transparent
adjective B2
transparency
noun C1
Expressões
opaque glass
1/oʊpˈeɪk ɡlˈæs/
fixed phrase
glass you can’t see through
Opaque glass lets light in but you can’t see clearly through it.
Exemplos
- They installed opaque glass in the shower enclosure.
- The office door has opaque glass panels to give some privacy.
- An opaque glass screen separates the waiting area from the hallway.
opaque pricing
1/oʊpˈeɪk pɹˈaɪsɪŋ/
fixed phrase
business
pricing that hides true costs
Opaque pricing makes it hard to know the real price.
Exemplos
- Consumer groups have criticized the airline’s opaque pricing.
- Opaque pricing can make it difficult to compare plans across providers.
- The new rules are meant to reduce opaque pricing in the ticket market.
opaque to [someone]
1/oʊpˈeɪk tə sˈʌmwˌʌn/
fixed phrase
hard for someone to understand
If something is opaque to you, you can’t understand it.
Exemplos
- The reasons for the delay were opaque to the public.
- Most of the legal terminology is opaque to non-lawyers.
- The plot is deliberately opaque to the viewer at first.
opaque type
1/oʊpˈeɪk tˈaɪp/
fixed phrase
technical
type with hidden structure
An opaque type hides its internal data from users of the code.
Exemplos
- The library exposes an opaque type to prevent direct access to its internal fields.
- Using an opaque type makes it easier to change the implementation later.
- The header file only declares the opaque type, not its structure.