1
as in ambiguity
the quality or state of having a veiled or uncertain meaning
the 16th-century astrologer's predictions are so filled with obscurity that people can interpret them any way they want
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2
as in oblivion
the quality or state of being mostly or completely unknown
the singer languished in relative obscurity for years before becoming famous
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3
as in mysteriousness
the quality or state of being impossible to know, understand, or explain
her novels were favored by gullible critics who confuse obscurity with profundity
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Recent Examples of obscurity
While she’s dipped her toes into lyric writing before and recorded some relative obscurities in the jazz catalog, she’s often thought of as a neo-traditionalist Great American Songbook type.
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Steve Hochman, SPIN, 10 Oct. 2024
What saved Reagan from fading into obscurity was what saved Trump: television.
—Daniel Immerwahr, The New Yorker, 9 Sep. 2024
But then, just like before, Sutch’s music career faded into near obscurity.
—Charles Moss, SPIN, 29 Oct. 2024
Emerging from obscurity to become a cult classic, Andrzej Żuławski's Possession is one of the most fascinating, singular visions in horror filmmaking.
—Katie Rife, EW.com, 29 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for obscurity 
Steve Hochman, SPIN, 10 Oct. 2024
What saved Reagan from fading into obscurity was what saved Trump: television.
—Daniel Immerwahr, The New Yorker, 9 Sep. 2024
But then, just like before, Sutch’s music career faded into near obscurity.
—Charles Moss, SPIN, 29 Oct. 2024
Emerging from obscurity to become a cult classic, Andrzej Żuławski's Possession is one of the most fascinating, singular visions in horror filmmaking.
—Katie Rife, EW.com, 29 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for obscurity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obscurity
Noun
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That also allows for some telling ambiguities: In a town that is fairly uniform in its comfortable whiteness, there’s little way to guess upfront where individuals may land on certain polarizing political issues.Guy Lodge, Variety, 19 Nov. 2024
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This can contribute to a sense of purpose and direction and help team members overcome inevitable hurdles and times of ambiguity.Jacob Kupietzky, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Promises her who knows what, seeing that she’s got to drink herself to oblivion constantly and choke down pills for her unendurable pain.Yiyun Li, Harper's Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024
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Pressly offers an antidote to this fearful existence, inviting readers to slip into oblivion: to recognize the freedom of being temporarily forgotten, and resist the forces that reduce them to what can be gleaned on the internet.John Kaag, The Atlantic, 29 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Sometimes someone just wants to be heard and the best response is that of silence.Stephanie Innes, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024
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State of play: 79 of about 119 countries or territories with elections in 2023 and 2024 had pre-election silence periods, per Staffan Darnolf, a senior global adviser at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems.April Rubin, Axios, 31 Oct. 2024
Noun
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The publication cited two people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, in reporting that the leaders of the incoming administration's DOGE discussed the idea of crafting a mobile app to file income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service.Kate Gibson, CBS News, 19 Nov. 2024
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Some lawmakers who spoke to NBC News on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the conversations worry that Musk could try to push U.S. policy in a direction favorable to his financial interests.David Ingram, NBC News, 5 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near obscurity
Cite this Entry
“Obscurity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obscurity. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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