obfuscate
verb
To render obscure, unclear, or unintelligible; to bewilder or confuse. Often implies deliberate confusion to hide the truth or evade accountability.
Etymology
From Latin "obfuscatus," past participle of "obfuscare" (to darken), from "ob" (over) + "fuscare" (to make dark), from "fuscus" (dark).
Examples in Use
- 1.
"Politicians often obfuscate their positions to avoid alienating voters."
- 2.
"Technical jargon can obfuscate rather than clarify meaning."
- 3.
"The company tried to obfuscate its financial troubles in the annual report."
Related Vocabulary
Synonyms
Related Words
Fun Fact
In computer science, "code obfuscation" deliberately makes source code difficult to understand to protect intellectual property or prevent reverse engineering. This practice creates an ongoing cat-and-mouse game with hackers.
Word Game Tips
Letters: 9 letters (O, B, F, U, S, C, A, T, E)
Scrabble Value: 16 points
Tip: Words ending in "TE" are often good scoring opportunities.
Put Your Vocabulary to the Test!
Ready to find words like "obfuscate" in a puzzle? Try today's Zabble challenge!