obfuscate it with

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "obfuscate it with" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to the act of making something unclear or confusing by adding complexity or unnecessary information. Example: "To avoid revealing sensitive information, we decided to obfuscate it with technical jargon."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Food

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"You just want to make sure you don't obfuscate it with anything," Mr. Batali, the chef, explained, as he stirred the anchovy salad.

The New York Times - Food

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

It does not obfuscate its Jewish heritage; nothing remains of it to hide.

The Guardian

Given that the hallmark of his stage and TV work is to extend his control and obfuscate its limits by blending magic with hypnosis and psychological manipulation, it is tempting to think that, in Happy, Brown is simply turning these powers on himself, making himself the object of his own suggestion.

The Guardian

As with all his work, the images are built in-camera; in this case by using multiple exposures on film -- a technique that in itself approximates the unpredictable tumult of the city, even as it obfuscates its specific attributes.

Huffington Post

A new model that obfuscates it away with an array of tricks – from legal redefinition of "genocide" by Baltic parliaments to encompass virtually all Soviet crimes, to the kangaroo investigations by Lithuanian prosecutors against Holocaust survivors, for unknown and unstated "war crimes".

The Guardian - Opinion

As the self-professed "Face of Trump's movement," she is seemingly amoral, for sale to the highest bidder, and the unparalleled personification of the campaign's manipulation machinery and its ability to obfuscate truth with "alternative facts".

Huffington Post

The point is to distil knowledge into a shape, rather than obfuscate with a torrent of words – but with those boundaries, it's never possible to show every detail.

Independent

He has shown that he can obfuscate positions with the best of admitted politicians.

The New Yorker

But there is a tradition in Iranian culture of trying to obfuscate disagreements with doubletalk, and that may be what their government is attempting to do now.

Huffington Post

I began this petition for the same reason I became a journalist, because I'm incapable of remaining idle as bullies, crooks or fools seek to obfuscate people with lies and misinformation".

Huffington Post

Under our Constitution, even suspected terrorists are entitled to a defense, and no matter how much the Bush administration and its friends tried to obfuscate that idea with pure inventions like "unlawful combatants" and "unitary executive," this remains the case.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "obfuscate it with" when you specifically want to convey the idea of making something unclear by adding layers of complexity or deception. It's appropriate when the intent is to hide or obscure the true nature of something.

Common error

Avoid using "obfuscate it with" if a simpler word like "confuse" or "complicate" adequately conveys your intended meaning. Overusing sophisticated vocabulary can make your writing sound pretentious or unclear.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "obfuscate it with" functions as a phrasal verb, where "obfuscate" is the verb and "with" is a preposition indicating the means by which something is made unclear. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is correct and usable in English, although examples are rare.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "obfuscate it with" is a phrasal verb used to describe intentionally making something unclear by adding complexity or misleading information. While grammatically correct and usable, according to Ludwig AI, it's a relatively rare phrase, predominantly found in News & Media and Science contexts. Alternatives include "muddle it with", "confuse it with", and "complicate it with". When using this phrase, ensure that the context calls for a deliberate attempt to obscure, and avoid overusing sophisticated vocabulary where simpler terms suffice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

obscure it with

Synonymous with "obfuscate", maintaining a similar degree of formality.

cloud it with

Implies making something less clear or transparent, often through metaphorical means.

muddle it with

Replaces "obfuscate" with "muddle", suggesting a less deliberate act of confusion.

muddy it with

Similar to 'muddle', implying a degradation of clarity through addition.

confuse it with

Uses "confuse" instead of "obfuscate", implying a more general state of bewilderment.

befog it with

Uses "befog" which carries a sense of obscuring something as if with fog, diminishing clarity.

complicate it with

Emphasizes the act of making something more complex, rather than necessarily hiding it.

garble it with

Suggests distorting the information making it unintelligible.

blur it with

Suggests a softening or indistinct quality, rather than a deliberate attempt to deceive.

veil it with

Implies covering something up, rather than making it inherently confusing. More figurative.

FAQs

How can I use "obfuscate it with" in a sentence?

You can use "obfuscate it with" to describe the act of making something unclear or confusing by adding complexity or unnecessary information. For example: "To avoid revealing sensitive information, we decided to "obfuscate it with" technical jargon."

What can I say instead of "obfuscate it with"?

You can use alternatives like "muddle it with", "confuse it with", or "complicate it with" depending on the context.

Is "obfuscate it" grammatically correct?

Yes, "obfuscate it" is grammatically correct, but adding "with" specifies what is being used to cause the obfuscation. The choice depends on whether you need to specify the means of obfuscation.

What's the difference between ""obfuscate it with"" and "obscure it with"?

While ""obfuscate it with"" and "obscure it with" are similar, "obfuscate" implies a more deliberate intent to make something unclear, often through complex or misleading language, whereas "obscure" can simply mean to hide or make less visible.