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GRE vocabulary

obfuscate

verbHigh-frequency wordMore O words

to make something deliberately unclear or confusing

Word origin: From Latin ob, over, and fuscare, to darken.

In a sentence

Obfuscate in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing obfuscate in a sentence.

The lawyer used dense jargon to obfuscate the weakness of his argument.

The memo's dense legalese seemed designed to obfuscate the simple fact that the deadline had been missed.

Antonyms
clarifyilluminateelucidate
Usage & nuance

Using “obfuscate” well

Obfuscate means to make something deliberately unclear or confusing, often to conceal the truth. The intent to obscure distinguishes it from merely failing to explain well.

Common questions

Questions about “obfuscate

Obfuscate (verb) means to make something deliberately unclear or confusing
Here is obfuscate used in an example sentence: "The lawyer used dense jargon to obfuscate the weakness of his argument." Another example: "The memo's dense legalese seemed designed to obfuscate the simple fact that the deadline had been missed."
Common synonyms for obfuscate include obscure, muddle, bewilder.
Antonyms of obfuscate include clarify, illuminate, elucidate.
Obfuscate clusters with obscure, muddle, and bewilder. Its antonyms clarify, illuminate, and elucidate are common GRE answer choices.
Yes. Obfuscate is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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