obfuscation

UK: /ˌɒbfʌsˈkeɪʃən/

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

obfuscation / ˌɒbfʌsˈkeɪʃən/ noun

1. the act or an instance of making something obscure, dark, or difficult to understand

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

ob•fus•cate /ˈɑbfəˌskeɪt, ɑbˈfʌskeɪt/   v. [~ + object] , -cat•ed, -cat•ing. 

1. to confuse; make unclear:
   You are deliberately obfuscating the issue.

ob•fus•ca•tion, n. [uncountable]
ob•fus•ca•to•ry /ɑbˈfʌskəˌtɔri/  adj. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

ob•fus•cate  (ob′fə skāt′, ob fus′kāt), v.t., -cat•ed, -cat•ing. 

1. to confuse, bewilder, or stupefy.
2. to make obscure or unclear:
   to obfuscate a problem with extraneous information.
3. to darken.

• Late Latin obfuscātus (past participle of obfuscāre to darken), equivalent. to Latin ob- ob- + fusc(us) dark + -ātus -ate¹
• 1525–35;

ob′fus•ca′tion, n. 
ob•fus•ca•to•ry  (ob fus′kə tôr′ē, -tōr′ē), adj.  Synonyms

• 1. muddle, perplex.
• 2. cloud.

Antonyms

• 1. clarify.