clouding

verb

present participle of cloud
1
as in obscuring
to make dark, dim, or indistinct the diner's dark interior, clouded with smoke and grease

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in confusing
to make (something) unclear to the understanding cloud the issue with obscure statistics

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of clouding Something about home or family could be distracting you in a way that’s clouding your read on your professional situation today. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2026 Beyond the 2022 case dismissal, in other instances, charges were never filed, information has come out clouding an accuser’s story, or Brown has counter-sued for defamation — details which complicate each story. — Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026 The detention of Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu on Thursday risks clouding Lusaka’s credentials as a relatively stable southern African democracy and denting investor confidence in Africa’s second-largest copper producer. — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 28 Aug. 2026 In addition to the starters who have yet to practice for the Panthers, a couple of notable first- and second-year players have been sidelined recently, clouding the roster picture a bit. — Joseph Person, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 Then Kris drifts outside, her face clouding, followed by Billy. — Jp Mangalindan, Time, 10 Aug. 2026 What underlying assumptions are clouding my strategic judgment? — Simone Lundquist, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Wholesale inflation fell from May to June on plunging energy prices, but intensifying hostilities with Iran are clouding the outlook. — Paul Wiseman, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026 Are foggy relationships clouding your goals and ambitions? — Usa Today, USA Today, 25 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clouding
  1. obscuring
  2. confusing
  3. blurring
  4. obfuscating
  5. darkening
  6. muddying
  7. fogging
  8. complicating
Verb
  • In the early ‘80s, the singer was already obscuring his Blackness with makeup (prior to remaking his features with plastic surgery).
    — Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Digital secondary channels have become the main outlet for liquidating illicit inventories, often obscuring sellers’ origins while reaching millions of buyers worldwide.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of obscuring
Verb
  • The Justice Department has argued in its suit that the name overlap risks confusing voters.
    — Willem Marx, NPR, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Cyan could theoretically fill the visual gap without confusing road users.
    — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of confusing
Verb
  • Macron has also successfully poached multiple party members to serve in his Cabinet, blurring the relationship further.
    — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Scientists have been able to measure quantum effects in larger and more complex systems and over great distances, blurring the line once thought to separate the scale of observer and observed.
    — Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of blurring
Verb
  • Or are Waititi and co-writer Dahvi Waller deliberately obfuscating as some kind of middle finger to the audience?
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The lawsuit expanded on that, accusing the village of obfuscating the nature of the development during the earlier stages of approvals.
    — Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of obfuscating
Verb
  • Abdalla’s fall refresh enhances her brunette base by darkening her roots and replacing those golden ribbons with warm brunette tones for lived-in dimension.
    — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 20 Oct. 2026
  • But the security backdrop in the Strait of Hormuz is darkening even as rates fall.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of darkening
Verb
  • That penchant for scoring first in matches is another unsustainable quirk muddying Chelsea’s statistical waters.
    — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Her father is also fighting as a soldier in the Ukrainian Army, further muddying things.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of muddying
Verb
  • Here’s how to tell why your windows are fogging up in the morning and what to do about it.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2026
  • In other words, Bessent is fogging up the very same windshield Warsh was attempting to get a clear view from.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of fogging
Verb
  • But complicating the government's efforts to bring the French deficit under control are widespread protests that have turned increasingly violent since starting as a Parisian student movement last month.
    — Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Previous Ebola outbreaks were marked by allegations of corruption and mismanagement of funds, which experts said have contributed to the mistrust of local communities, complicating the efforts to halt the spread.
    — Monika Pronczuk, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of complicating

Browse Nearby Words

cloudiness
clouding
cloudland
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Cite this Entry

“Clouding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clouding. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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