SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
obfuscate
verb
To make something harder to understand, often deliberately.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
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Make unclear
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topObfuscate often suggests deliberate obscurity; complicate can occur without intent to mislead.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See obfuscate in use
Dense jargon can obfuscate an otherwise simple explanation.
During questions, a guest asked whether the organizers would sell attendees' contact details. The host began to obfuscate the issue with vague remarks about 'community opportunities.' Lina noticed the equivocation and repeated the question in plain language.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license