Obscure means something like “not clear” or “not well known,” and it’s used both as an adjective and as a verb.

Quick meaning

  • As an adjective :
    • Not well known or famous :
      • “An obscure singer” = not many people have heard of them.
    • Hard to understand or unclear :
      • “An obscure explanation” = confusing, not easy to follow.
    • Dark or hard to see :
      • “Obscure shapes in the fog” = you can barely see them.
  • As a verb (“to obscure”):
    • To make something harder to see :
      • “Clouds obscure the sun.”
    • To make something harder to understand or notice :
      • “The technical jargon obscures the main point.”

Mini examples

  • “The meaning of this sentence is obscure.” → It’s unclear.
  • “He became famous, but his early work remains obscure.” → Few people know about it.
  • “The tree branches obscured the road sign.” → They blocked the view of the sign.

Simple way to remember

Think of obscure as the opposite of clear and well-known :

  • If it’s obscure , it’s either hidden, unclear, or not widely known.