obscure passage

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "obscure passage" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a part of a text that is difficult to understand or not well-known. Example: "The author included an obscure passage that left many readers confused about the main theme of the book."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

Even the unique position of authority of the bishop of Rome is emphasized by Irenaeus, though in an obscure passage.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The word "carcinogen," it is believed, was first coined by the surgeon James Paget in an obscure passage of a lecture on surgical pathology in 1853.

The New York Times - Magazine

There is no turning away from the imperative to study this riddle in all its mystifying complexity and its disturbing contemporary resonance to trace the obscure passage between a lone state of delirium and the will to world-erasure.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

One exegetical device of the Jewish rabbis (teachers, biblical commentators, and religious leaders) was that of gezera shawa, "equal category," according to which an obscure passage might be illuminated by reference to another containing the same key term.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The suit alleged that Trump was violating the Constitution's foreign-emoluments clause, an obscure passage that prohibits government officials from accepting gifts or other benefits from foreign governments without approval from Congress.

The New Yorker

While the press thought that he was idling on the back nine, he was making sense of a particularly obscure passage in the "Nichomachean Ethics" that might help him prepare the country for the new discoveries of science.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

Chard, a cabinetmaker, had come with his housemate, who sat in the row behind us, reading aloud obscure passages of the Koran that he had highlighted in yellow.

The New Yorker

The commentary discusses the text line by line, illuminating obscure passages, explaining technical ones, and providing a new overall interpretation of the work and the nature of practical reason.

Harvard University

Most other reviewers have not compared Mr. Faggen's work with the original notebooks and therefore have no way of knowing whether some of the more obscure passages or spelling and grammatical mistakes are Frost's or Mr. Faggen's.

The New York Times - Books

Meanwhile, newly savvy parents have seized on obscure passages in special-education law to wring additional services for their children, leaving principals buried in thick binders of federal and state statutes like beleaguered young lawyers.

The New York Times

In fact, Hagee's "signs," in every instance, turn out to be based on conjecture, pairing obscure and isolated passages with current events in ways that strain the imagination.

HuffPost

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "obscure passage", ensure the context clarifies what makes the passage difficult to understand. Is it the vocabulary, the subject matter, or the writing style?

Common error

Avoid using "obscure passage" when a simpler term like "confusing sentence" would suffice. The phrase is best reserved for texts with genuine complexity or ambiguity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "obscure passage" functions as a noun phrase, where "obscure" modifies "passage". According to Ludwig AI, it is used to describe a section of text that is not easily understood.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Academia

30%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Science

10%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "obscure passage" effectively labels a section of text that is difficult to understand. Ludwig AI confirms that this grammatically sound phrase commonly appears in diverse fields, including news, academia, and encyclopedias. While various alternatives such as "vague excerpt" or "ambiguous section" exist, "obscure passage" specifically highlights a lack of clarity due to the writing itself. When using the phrase, always ensure the surrounding context clearly indicates the source of the difficulty. Its consistent usage and high frequency in reputable sources make it a reliable choice for describing challenging textual segments.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

vague excerpt

Replaces "obscure" with "vague", suggesting a lack of clarity rather than hidden meaning.

ambiguous section

Focuses on the uncertainty and open interpretation of the text.

unclear excerpt

Highlights the lack of clarity and easy comprehension.

enigmatic text

Implies a mysterious and puzzling quality of the writing.

incomprehensible segment

Emphasizes the difficulty in understanding the specific portion of text.

difficult section

Highlights the challenge the reader faces when trying to understand the passage.

cryptic excerpt

Suggests the passage contains a hidden meaning or code.

murky portion

Implies that the meaning is clouded or not easily discernible.

impenetrable text

Emphasizes the inability to understand or make sense of the text.

complex sentence

Focuses on the complicated nature of the sentence itself.

FAQs

How can I use "obscure passage" in a sentence?

You can use "obscure passage" to describe a part of a text that is difficult to understand, such as, "The author included an obscure passage that left many readers confused."

What can I say instead of "obscure passage"?

You can use alternatives like "vague excerpt", "ambiguous section", or "unclear excerpt" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Which is correct, "obscure passage" or "obscure excerpt"?

Both "obscure passage" and "obscure excerpt" are grammatically correct and interchangeable. The choice depends on whether you prefer "passage", which suggests a segment of text, or "excerpt", which implies a smaller, selected portion.

What's the difference between "obscure passage" and "difficult section"?

"Obscure passage" implies that the difficulty in understanding comes from the writing itself, while "difficult section" might suggest that the subject matter is challenging.