obscurity

noun

ob·​scu·​ri·​ty äb-ˈskyu̇r-ə-tē How to pronounce obscurity (audio)
əb-
plural obscurities
Synonyms of obscurity
1
: one that is obscure
… peppered with quotes from … heavy hitters, as well as some downright obscurities.—Penelope Green
2
: the quality or state of being obscure
novels that have faded into obscurity

Synonyms of obscurity

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Examples of obscurity in a Sentence

In recent years, the tradition has emerged from obscurity. He has been living in relative obscurity in a small town in the mountains. After a promising first novel, she faded into obscurity.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Chad Tracy is an attention-to-detail kind of guy, which helps explain why the Boston Red Sox liberated him from Triple-A obscurity in April to be their interim manager after Alex Cora was let go. — Steve Buckley, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026 The historic watchmaker, which clocked nearly two centuries in the industry before fading into obscurity in the early 1990s, has officially relaunched with the help of Breitling. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 3 Sep. 2026 The Canadian actress returned to her native country for Heartaches (1981), alongside Annie Potts, and Patricia Rozema’s White Room (1990), but her work in the ’80s and ’90s was in general a mix of small parts, obscurities, and TV movies. — Jesse Hassenger, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Aug. 2026 From obscurity to the top of the football world, all in the matter of a few days. — Sam McDowell 29, Kansas City Star, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for obscurity

Word History

Etymology

Middle English obscurite, borrowed from Anglo-French oscurté, obscurité, borrowed from Latin obscūritāt-, obscūritās, from obscūrus "dim, dark, imperfectly known, concealed from knowledge, incomprehensible" + -itāt-, -itās -ity — more at obscure entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of obscurity was in the 14th century

Rhymes for obscurity

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Browse Nearby Words

obscuringly
obscurity
obscurum per obscurius
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Cite this Entry

“Obscurity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obscurity. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

obscurity

noun
ob·​scu·​ri·​ty äb-ˈskyu̇r-ət-ē How to pronounce obscurity (audio)
əb-
plural obscurities
1
: something that is obscure
2
: the quality or state of being obscure
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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