obfuscatory.

Tending to make meaning or understanding unclear.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• obfuscatory language
• obfuscatory explanation

On the page

The obfuscatory explanation replaced a clear distinction with unexplained terminology.

The language was obfuscatory even if the author had not intended to mislead.

Usage notes

Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: Comparative more obfuscatory; superlative most obfuscatory where gradation is meaningful. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: clarity and ornament, narrative perspective, style analysis. Disciplines: literary writing, narrative analysis, advanced English. Commonness: uncommon.