What does obfuscate mean?

Definitions for obfuscate
ˈɒb fəˌskeɪt, ɒbˈfʌs keɪtob·fus·cate

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word obfuscate.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. obfuscateverb

    make obscure or unclear

Wiktionary

  1. obfuscateverb

    To make dark; overshadow

  2. obfuscateverb

    To deliberately make more confusing in order to conceal the truth.

    Before leaving the scene, the murderer set a fire to obfuscate any evidence of his or her identity.

  3. obfuscateverb

    To alter code while preserving its behavior but conceal its structure and intent.

    We need to obfuscate these classes before we ship the final release.

  4. Etymology: From the participle stem of (late) obfuscare, from ob- + fuscare.

Wikipedia

  1. obfuscate

    Obfuscation is the obscuring of the intended meaning of communication by making the message difficult to understand, usually with confusing and ambiguous language. The obfuscation might be either unintentional or intentional (although intent usually is connoted), and is accomplished with circumlocution (talking around the subject), the use of jargon (technical language of a profession), and the use of an argot (ingroup language) of limited communicative value to outsiders.In expository writing, unintentional obfuscation usually occurs in draft documents, at the beginning of composition; such obfuscation is illuminated with critical thinking and editorial revision, either by the writer or by an editor. Etymologically, the word obfuscation derives from the Latin obfuscatio, from obfuscāre (to darken); synonyms include the words beclouding and abstrusity.

ChatGPT

  1. obfuscate

    Obfuscate refers to the action of making something unclear, obscure, or unintelligible. It could involve presenting information in a way that is difficult to understand, often in order to conceal the truth or confuse others. It can be used in various context like in writing, speech, or coding.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Obfuscateadjective

    obfuscated; darkened; obscured

  2. Obfuscateverb

    to darken; to obscure; to becloud; hence, to confuse; to bewilder

  3. Etymology: [L. obfuscatus, p. p. of obfuscare to darken; ob (see Ob-) + fuscare, fuscatum, to darken, from fuscus dark.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Obfuscate

    ob-fus′kāt, v.t. to darken: to confuse.—n. Obfuscā′tion. [L. obfuscāre, -ātumob, inten., fuscus, dark.]

Matched Categories

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of obfuscate in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of obfuscate in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of obfuscate in a Sentence

  1. Donald Trump:

    Hillary should spend more time producing her illegally hidden emails and less time trying to obfuscate a statement by me that is totally clear and obviously very much accepted by the public as true.

  2. Karoun Demirjian:

    Many of the Democrats think he was shilling for the President, and are going to challenge him basically on, did you tell us lies intentionally, to obfuscate what was in the report ? The tone that is set clearly has implications for the subpoena battle, but it also has implications for everything else that goes through DOJ, which is a massive portfolio of issues, if there's no trust between the attorney general and the Hill this early on, that's a problem for a while to come.

  3. Adam Kinzinger:

    I mean, there is civil, there is criminal referrals that can happen if they refuse, refusing a subpoena from congress is a crime. We aren't out to try to hang this around anybody's neck. We want answers, the problem is when Adam Kinzinger start seeing people resist, and people obfuscate, Adam Kinzinger have to look at that and go why are they doing that if they have nothing to hide ? We have a lot of people coming and talking to us voluntarily. We'll get to the bottom of it. We want to do it quickly, efficiently and thoroughly.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

obfuscate#10000#88921#100000

Translations for obfuscate

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

  • обърквам, смущавамBulgarian
  • verfinstern, verschleiern, verdunkeln, obfuskierenGerman
  • ofuscarSpanish
  • peittää, pimentää, varjostaaFinnish
  • obscurcirFrench
  • összezavar, elhomályosít, elsötétítHungarian
  • offuscare, ottenebrareItalian
  • לְעַרְפֵּלHebrew
  • 難読化するJapanese
  • verduisterenDutch
  • tåkelegge, overskygge, formørke, Beskytt, forvirre, forkludre, obfuskereNorwegian
  • zaciemniać, zaciemnićPolish
  • ofuscarPortuguese
  • zăpăci, umbri, întuneca, încurca, confundaRomanian
  • сбивать с толку, запутывать, сбить с толку, затемнять, запутать, затемнитьRussian
  • zatamniti, zamrljati, са̀крити, замрљати, sàkritiSerbo-Croatian
  • 混淆Chinese

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"obfuscate." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 26 Dec. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/obfuscate>.

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