obfuscate with

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "obfuscate with" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the act of making something unclear or difficult to understand by using certain methods or tools. Example: "The report was designed to obfuscate with complex jargon, making it hard for the average reader to grasp the main points."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

She does not obfuscate with stylistic idiosyncrasies or use words you have to look up in the dictionary.

The Guardian - Books

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

According to the details available, it seems like Hurd, who is married (at least for now), was entangled in a personal relationship with a hired contractor— an affair he tried to obfuscate with some fudged expense reports.

TechCrunch

This because in that context one of the most important aspects is to maintain clear and well-defined the information at individual level, which is what we want to obfuscate with our transformation.

EPJ Data Science

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

There's a horizontally pinstriped tailored jacket obfuscated with metal buttons, shown with trousers which have one leg shorter than the other.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Passwords were obfuscated with a standard which has been known to be insecure since 2005, while other info, including security questions, was in plain text.

The Guardian - Tech

Glitnir has chosen to sue in New York because central to its case is a $1bn US bond sale in September 2007 where the true state of the bank's finances were obfuscated – with the help, it is claimed, of PwC.

The Guardian - Business

Test results show that when the generated textlines are further obfuscated with a set of deformations, machine recognition rates decrease considerably, compared to prior work, while human recognition rates remain the same.

Pattern Recognition

I asked for the pilot's results but the DWP always obfuscates with irrelevant information: "The vast majority of people move off jobseeker's allowance quickly – over 75% of people end their JSA claim within six months".

The Guardian - Opinion

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

The New Yorker

"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

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "obfuscate with" when you want to emphasize a deliberate attempt to make something unclear or confusing through the use of specific methods or tools. For instance, "The company tried to "obfuscate with" legal jargon to confuse investors."

Common error

Avoid using "obfuscate with" in contexts where simpler language would be more appropriate. Overusing complex vocabulary can make your writing sound pretentious rather than intelligent. Use "confuse with" or "obscure with" as lighter alternatives.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "obfuscate with" functions as a verb phrase, where "obfuscate" is the verb indicating the action of making something unclear, and "with" introduces the means or method used to achieve this. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "obfuscate with" is used to describe the action of making something unclear or difficult to understand through specific means. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and can be found in a variety of contexts, primarily in News & Media and Science. While not exceedingly common, with a “Rare” frequency rating, the phrase is versatile and can be utilized in several situations where deliberate obscurity is implied. When writing, consider whether a simpler alternative such as "confuse with" or "obscure with" might be more appropriate to maintain clarity and avoid sounding pretentious.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

confuse with

Replaces "obfuscate" with a more general term for making something unclear.

obscure with

Similar to "obfuscate", but often implies a less deliberate attempt to hide something.

blur with

Suggests making distinctions less clear, often by combining elements.

cloud with

Implies making something unclear by covering it, either literally or figuratively.

muddy with

Suggests making something unclear and less pure, often with negative connotations.

complicate with

Indicates making something harder to understand by adding complexity.

muddle with

Implies creating a disorganized and unclear situation.

garble with

Suggests distorting information, making it difficult to understand.

mislead with

Focuses on the intent to deceive, rather than simply making something unclear.

distort with

Implies twisting something from its original form, often making it unrecognizable.

FAQs

How can I use "obfuscate" in a sentence?

You can use "obfuscate" to describe making something unclear, obscure, or unintelligible. For example, "The politician tried to "obfuscate" the issue with vague statements."

What words are similar to "obfuscate"?

Words similar to "obfuscate" include "obscure", "confuse", "blur", and "muddle". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to "clarify" or "obfuscate"?

"Clarify" means to make something clear and easy to understand, while "obfuscate" means to make something unclear and confusing. Generally, clarifying is preferred for effective communication, unless the intent is to deceive or hide information.

What's the difference between "obfuscate" and "confuse"?

"Obfuscate" often implies a deliberate attempt to make something unclear, perhaps to deceive or mislead. "Confuse", on the other hand, can simply mean to cause someone to be uncertain or unable to understand something, without necessarily implying intent.