obscurant
adjective
ob·scur·ant äb-ˈskyu̇r-ənt 
əb-
variants or obscurantic
ˌäb-skyə-ˈran-tik
: tending to make obscure
obscurant language
obscurant noun
Word History
Etymology
borrowed from French (earlier as noun), borrowed from Latin obscūrant-, obscūrans, present participle of obscūrāre "to darken, eclipse, conceal from knowledge" — more at obscure entry 2
First Known Use
1878, in the meaning defined above
obscurant
adjective
variants or obscurantic
as in shadowy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- shadowy
- obfuscatory
- indistinct
- hazy
- foggy
- beclouded
- clouded
- bedimmed
- misty
- esoteric
- vague
- cloaked
- cloudy
- indistinguishable
- shrouded
- muddy
- concealed
- dim
- fuzzy
- disguised
- faint
- ambiguous
- befogged
- abstruse
- shaded
- obscure
- opaque
- questionable
- uncertain
- shadowlike
- recondite
- incomprehensible
- undefined
- inexact
- inexplicit
- unclear
- masked
- sphinxlike
- fuliginous
- mystic
- nebulous
- impenetrable
- undetermined
- invisible
- inexplicable
- indecipherable
- enigmatic
- dark
- inscrutable
- cryptic
- mysterious
- indefinite
- noncommittal
- occult
- equivocal
- eerie
- arcane
- murky
- enigmatical
- obnubilated
- elliptical
- inappreciable
- impalpable
- unanswerable
- unknowable
- confounding
- uncanny
- weird
- intangible
- baffling
- bewildering
- elliptic
- eery
- perplexing
- Delphic
- confusing
- puzzling
- deep
- mystifying
- unfathomable
- double-edged
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- obvious
- clear
- plain
- unambiguous
- unequivocal
- intelligible
- understandable
- distinct
- accessible
- certain
- comprehensible
- evident
- legible
- bright
- pellucid
- strong
- knowable
- nonambiguous
- explicit
- direct
- sure
- defined
- visible
- fathomable
- straightforward
- self-evident
- firm
- blatant
- appreciable
- determined
- exact
- self-explanatory
- definite
- unmistakable
- tangible
- palpable
- patent