Obfuscating: meaning, definitions and examples

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obfuscating

 

[ ˈɒb.fə.skeɪt ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

making unclear

To obfuscate means to deliberately make something unclear or difficult to understand. It can refer to the act of obscuring information or making a statement ambiguous. This term is often used in contexts such as communication, programming, and legal documents, where clarity is essential. By obfuscating, one might shield the truth or complicate the understanding to avoid direct answers.

Synonyms

blur, cloud, complicate, confuse, muddle

Examples of usage

  • The politician was accused of obfuscating the facts.
  • The software uses obfuscating techniques to protect its code.
  • The lawyer's language was filled with obfuscating terms.
  • To avoid giving a direct answer, he began obfuscating his explanation.

Translations

Translations of the word "obfuscating" in other languages:

🇵🇹 ofuscante

🇮🇳 धुंधला करना

🇩🇪 verschleiern

🇮🇩 mengaburkan

🇺🇦 затемнення

🇵🇱 zaciemnianie

🇯🇵 難解にする

🇫🇷 obscurcissement

🇪🇸 ofuscación

🇹🇷 belirsizleştirme

🇰🇷 혼란스럽게 하다

🇸🇦 تعتيم

🇨🇿 zatemnění

🇸🇰 zatemnenie

🇨🇳 模糊化

🇸🇮 zatemnitev

🇮🇸 óljós

🇰🇿 бұлыңғырлату

🇬🇪 დაფარვა

🇦🇿 qaranlıqlaşdırma

🇲🇽 ofuscación

Word origin

The word 'obfuscate' comes from the Latin 'obfuscare', which means 'to darken'. The prefix 'ob-' means 'over' or 'against', while 'fuscare' derives from 'fuscare', a form of 'fuscus', which translates to 'dark'. The term made its way into English in the early 17th century and has maintained its original connotation of causing confusion or obscurity. Initially used in literary contexts, its application has expanded into various fields such as information technology and law, particularly in describing techniques that obscure or distort clarity.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #38,214, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.