OPAQUE Synonyms: 294 Similar and Opposite Words

opaque

adjective

ō-ˈpāk

Definition of opaque

as in ambiguous

having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning somehow listeners seem to connect with the songwriter, despite his deeply personal, often opaque lyrics

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in vague

not seen or understood clearly an opaque remark that seemed to hint that there would be future retaliation

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in dumb

not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily people are sometimes rude to her, but fortunately she's too opaque to realize what's happening

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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 opaque These ships often operate in legal gray zones, using opaque ownership structures, frequent flag changes and alternative insurance arrangements to avoid sanctions enforcement. — John Calabrese, The Conversation, 6 July 2026 The report accuses the group of funding its programming through opaque and questionable avenues, including soliciting foreign funds, misleading donors and selling access to the president. — Rachel Treisman, NPR, 2 July 2026 American Mission’s partnership with the company, as well as the ads’ vague message about Donalds, exemplify the opaque nature of the AI industry’s spending in the 2026 election cycle. — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026 Timothée Chalamet, Spike Lee, Mariska Hargitay and even Swift herself did not pass through such opaque surroundings to see the 2026 Finals-playing New York Knicks. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for opaque

Recent Examples of Synonyms for opaque

Adjective

Vermeule—a former clerk for Scalia—proposes that conservatives should read the Constitution’s ambiguous phrases and general structure in an openly moral way, drawing on principles grounded in the nature and purposes of government.

— Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 2 July 2026
Without a unified, clean, and accessible data structure, AI outputs quickly become ambiguous, hallucinated, and diluted, deepening the clarity crisis rather than resolving it.

— Ali Hoss, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

Definition of ambiguous

Adjective

There’s no reason to think, for example, that decisions made by political appointees based on vague standards would be any more transparent than those made by peer reviewers based on scientific merit.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 July 2026
American Mission’s partnership with the company, as well as the ads’ vague message about Donalds, exemplify the opaque nature of the AI industry’s spending in the 2026 election cycle.

— Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026

Definition of vague

Adjective

It was filled with brackets and parentheticals, written in different fonts and colors, much of it in capital letters, at once detailed and cryptic.

— Joaquin Sapien, ProPublica, 30 June 2026
His doctors speculated his infection might have been a rare case of cryptic transmission from sharing meals and bathrooms with his coworkers, one of whom apparently had a tapeworm infection.

— Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 26 June 2026

Definition of cryptic

Adjective

As its name suggests, the product is formulated with skin care superstar retinol to smooth fine lines and crow’s feet and brighten dark circles.

— Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 7 July 2026
El Floridita and Sloppy Joe’s, tourist destinations made famous by American novelist Ernest Hemingway, sat dark and shuttered.

— Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 6 July 2026

Definition of dark

Adjective

In fact, the iconic band of hazy light known as the galactic center should routinely be visible for a few more months across the United States – and the rest of the northern hemisphere – arcing across the night sky.

— Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Go for the bold, unique brews, like the Blizzard of ’67 (named after an infamous winter storm), a hazy triple IPA with orange, pineapple, and mango notes.

— Midwest Living, Midwest Living, 1 July 2026