OBSCURES Synonyms: 77 Similar and Opposite Words

obscures

verb

present tense third-person singular of obscure

as in conceals

to keep secret or shut off from view the investigative reporters obscured their real motives for visiting the company by pretending the story was about something else

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as in blurs

to make dark, dim, or indistinct when it isn't obscured by smog, the view of the city from the observatory can be spectacular

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of obscures Rather than blocking the sun entirely, the moon obscures only a portion of it, leaving behind the eclipse's signature crescent shape. — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026 The timing of the eclipse — and how long the moon fully obscures the sun — will vary by location. — Raf Sanchez, NBC news, 12 Aug. 2026 This obscures the blinding light of the sun, allowing viewers to glimpse our star's outer atmosphere, or corona. — Brett Tingley, Space.com, 12 Aug. 2026 When the moon obscures most of the sun just before totality, leaving only a thin sliver of sunlight, the turbulence becomes visible. — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026 Casting Gen Z’s reactions as nihilistic obscures the values and institutional distrust connected to them and fails to appreciate their egalitarian and pragmatic ideals. — Evan Clarkson, The Conversation, 6 Aug. 2026 This is a shame, and not only because the book’s style obscures its significance as the most high-profile effort by that date to marry what were then the two most important currents of French philosophy. — Literary Hub, 21 July 2026 Studying differences at the state level further obscures the signal by combining rural California with San Francisco Bay Area counties or upstate New York with New York City. — Marc Lipsitch, STAT, 21 July 2026 Success breeds overconfidence; overconfidence hardens into presumption; and presumption eventually obscures the actual source of momentum. — Clifford Hudson, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for obscures

Verb

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus initially conceals his identity as the Messiah from even his closest disciples.

— John Blake, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
And to maintain the appearance of a conventional hardtail, the chassis uses Harley's Softail platform, which conveniently conceals the rear suspension.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 July 2026

Definition of conceals

Verb

The trip is the most recent example of how the president blurs the line between official business and travel in ways that can benefit his family business.

— Will Weissert, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026
Their intense rivalry, ignited by Punk's title victory over Owens' friend Sami Zayn, masterfully blurs the lines between reality and storyline.

— Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of blurs

Verb

The lawsuit accuses Meta of contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features that addict children to its platforms and hides these harms from the public.

— Barbara Ortutay, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2026
Furthermore, cash's nominal safety hides inflation risk, eroding purchasing power.

— Jason Kirsch, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of hides

Verb

Young agent Nina is recuperating in Corfu after a botched mission in the Balkans, but the idyllic landscape darkens when an agent is murdered.

— Monitor reviewers, Christian Science Monitor, 21 Aug. 2026
Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images A total solar eclipse darkens the skies over northeastern Spain, with Corbera dâEbre, in Tarragona, Spain, on August 12, 2026, among the locations along the path of totality.

— Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of darkens

Verb

The collection of patents covers a wide swath of elements associated with the rise of AI music, including moderation, watermarking, licensed distribution and monetization.

— Corbin Bolies, Variety, 20 Aug. 2026
The settlement covers the Gill case and claims involving about 2,000 other infants, according to Abbott.

— Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of covers

Verb

But the strategic cocktail of soft nationalism, corporate politics and ticket-sales boosterism that constitutes the wild card system more often overshadows sporting fairness.

— Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
But at such a high proof, the heat ultimately wins out and overshadows everything else.

— Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of overshadows

Verb

Warming suppresses upwelling — which normally allows colder, deeper and nutrient-rich ocean water to rise closer to the surface.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
Testosterone therapy suppresses the body's production of sperm and, in some cases, can lead to permanent infertility.

— Will Stone, NPR, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of suppresses

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obscureness

obscures

obscuring

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“Obscures.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obscures. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of obscures

verb

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