obfuscate
Say it: OB-fuh-skayt /ˈɑbfəskeɪt/ · verb
What “obfuscate” means
Deliberately make something harder to understand.
More precisely: To deliberately make something unclear or hard to understand.
Example: “The terms and conditions seem designed to obfuscate the real costs.”
When to use it
In formal criticism, when someone uses confusing language or hides details to stop others understanding the truth.
Memory trick
Picture someone deliberately spraying fog over a clear window.
Similar words
obscure, muddy, cloud
Where it comes from
From Latin obfuscare, "to darken."
Quick check
Asked where the missing money went, a treasurer deliberately gives a tangled answer that hides the facts. What are they trying to do?
obfuscate or clarify?
Show the answer
obfuscate
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