By Iswat Ishola, Francis Ikuerowo, Chiamaka Egwuchukwu, Saminu Yusuf Bena
Obfuscate
(/ˈɒb.fʌs.keɪt/)
Obfuscate is a verb meaning to deliberately make something unclear, confusing, or difficult to understand. It is often used to describe situations where information is intentionally clouded or presented in a complicated way to hide the truth or avoid direct explanation. The word commonly appears in contexts involving politics, law, bureaucracy, or technical language, where clarity is replaced with vagueness.
Example:
The report was written in a way that obfuscated the real issues, leaving readers more confused than informed.
It is often used when talking about communication, truth, facts, official statements, or situations where clarity is intentionally avoided.
Origin:
From the Latin word obfuscatus (past participle of obfuscare), meaning “to darken” or “to make shadowy,” suggesting the act of covering something with darkness so it cannot be clearly seen.
Formed from:
- ob- = over / against
- fuscus = dark
- -ate = verb-forming suffix
Synonyms of obfuscate:
confuse, obscure, conceal, cloud, blur
Antonyms of obfuscate:
clarify, explain, simplify, illuminate, reveal
In Yorùbá, the closest translation to Obfuscate is “da ọ̀rọ̀ rú”, “fi ọ̀rọ̀ sokùn)
Examples
- Má dá ọ̀rọ̀ rú; sọ ohun tí o fẹ́ sọ kedere (Don’t obfuscate the matter; say what you want to say clearly)
- Ó fi ọ̀rọ̀ ṣókùnkùn láti pa òtítọ́ mọ́ (He obfuscated the matter to hide the truth)
In Hausa, Obfuscate is translated as “ruɗa”, “ɓoye gaskiya”, “ko rikitar da bayani”
Examples
- Dan siyasar ya yi ƙoƙarin ruɗa batun maimakon ya yi bayani a sarari (The politician tried to obfuscate the issue instead of giving a clear answer.)
- Yawan amfani da kalmomi masu wahala na iya ruɗa ra’ayi mai sauƙi (Complex language can obfuscate simple ideas)
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In French Common translations of Obfuscate are : “embrouiller” (to confuse), rendre flou / obscurcir (to make unclear)
Examples:
- Il a embrouillé l’histoire pour éviter les questions. ( He confused the story to avoid questions)
- Ces mots compliqués rendent le message flou. (These complicated words make the message unclear)
In Spanish, Common translations of Obfuscate are: “confundir “(to confuse), “oscurecer “(to make unclear)
Examples:
- Intentó confundir a la gente con explicaciones largas. (He tried to confuse people with long explanations)
- El mal uso del lenguaje oscurece el mensaje. ( Poor use of language makes the message unclear)
In German, Common translations of Obfuscate are: “verwirren” (to confuse), “unklar machen / verschleiern” (to make unclear, to obscure)
Examples:
- Die lange Erklärung hat die Zuhörer verwirrt. (The long explanation confused the listeners)
- Zu viele Details machen die Sache unklar. (Too many details make the matter unclear)
Iswat Ishola is the lead contributor to this column, with additional language contributions from Francis Ikuerowo (French, German, and Spanish), Chiamaka Egwuchukwu (Igbo), and Saminu Yusuf Bena (Hausa).
