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HOW TO PRONOUNCE

obscure

/əbˈskjʊɹ/

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American Pronunciation Guide · 0:55
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What does obscure mean?

adjective

  1. Dark, faint or indistinct.
  2. Hidden, out of sight or inconspicuous.
  3. Difficult to understand; abstruse.
More meanings (5)

adjective

  1. Not well-known.
  2. Unknown or uncertain; unclear.

verb

  1. To render obscure; to darken; to make dim; to keep in the dark; to hide; to make less visible, intelligible, legible, glorious, beautiful, or illustrious.
  2. To hide, put out of sight etc.
  3. (obsolete) To conceal oneself; to hide.

Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0

IPA pronunciation

/əbˈskjʊɹ/

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0

Other dictionary pronunciations

/əbˈskjɝ/
Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0

Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.

In the pages of books

See this word in context.

There were some who proceeded sullenly, full of anger at their wounds, and ready to turn upon anything as an obscure cause.
Stephen CraneThe Red Badge of Courage: An Episode of the American Civil WarProject Gutenberg ebook #73
He turned back a few steps and was lost in grave reflection, finally wending his way homeward by the obscure river-side path.
Thomas HardyThe Mayor of CasterbridgeProject Gutenberg ebook #143
More book examples (3)
I find myself in a position to throw light on just that part of his tragic career which has remained most obscure.
W. Somerset (William Somerset) MaughamThe Moon and SixpenceProject Gutenberg ebook #222
It is time that has made mountains with grains of sand and raised the obscure cell of geological eras to human dignity.
Gustave Le BonThe crowd : $b A study of the popular mindProject Gutenberg ebook #445
There was scarcely an obscure village to be found wherein this bewitching basilisk did not exercise its powers of fascination and destruction.
Andrew SteinmetzThe Gaming Table: Its Votaries and Victims. Volume 1 (of 2)Project Gutenberg ebook #466