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Obscure vs. Cryptic — What's the Difference?

Obscure vs. Cryptic — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Obscure and Cryptic

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Obscure

Deficient in light; dark
The obscure depths of a cave.

Cryptic

Having a meaning that is mysterious or obscure
He found his boss's utterances too cryptic

Obscure

So faintly perceptible as to lack clear delineation; indistinct
An obscure figure in the fog.

Cryptic

(of coloration or markings) serving to camouflage an animal in its natural environment
Cryptic plumage is thought to minimize predation

Obscure

Indistinctly heard; faint.
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Cryptic

Having hidden meaning; mystifying.

Obscure

(Linguistics) Having the reduced, neutral sound represented by schwa (ə).

Cryptic

Secret or occult.

Obscure

Far from centers of human population
An obscure village.

Cryptic

Using code or cipher.

Obscure

Out of sight; hidden
An obscure retreat.

Cryptic

(Biology) Tending to conceal or camouflage
Cryptic coloring.

Obscure

Not readily noticed or seen; inconspicuous
An obscure flaw.

Cryptic

Having hidden (unapparent) meaning.

Obscure

Of undistinguished or humble station or reputation
An obscure poet.
An obscure family.

Cryptic

Mystified or of an obscure nature.

Obscure

Not clearly understood or expressed; ambiguous or vague
Some say that Blake's style is obscure and complex.

Cryptic

Involving use of a code or cipher.

Obscure

To make dim, indistinct, or impossible to see
"His face was obscured in shadow" (Rosemary Mahoney).

Cryptic

Of a crossword puzzle, or a clue in such a puzzle, using, in addition to definitions, wordplay such as anagrams, homophones and hidden words to indicate solutions.

Obscure

To make difficult to discern mentally or understand
The meaning of the text was obscured by its difficult language.

Cryptic

(zoology) Well camouflaged; having good camouflage.
Lonomia caterpillars are extremely cryptic.

Obscure

To diminish the stature of; overshadow or detract from
"[His] character was so repellent that it has obscured his historical role" (David Rains Wallace).

Cryptic

(zoology) Serving as camouflage.
Cryptic colouring

Obscure

(Linguistics) To reduce (a vowel) to the neutral sound represented by schwa (ə).

Cryptic

Apparently identical, but actually genetically distinct.
Cryptic species

Obscure

Something obscure or unknown.

Cryptic

(zoology) Living in a cavity or small cave.

Obscure

Dark, faint or indistinct.

Cryptic

(informal) A cryptic crossword puzzle.

Obscure

Hidden, out of sight or inconspicuous.

Cryptic

Hidden; secret; occult.

Obscure

Difficult to understand.
An obscure passage or inscription;
The speaker made obscure references to little-known literary works.

Cryptic

Incomprehensible to those not familiar with the culture or jargon; as, the new insurance policy is written without cryptic or mysterious terms.

Obscure

Not well-known.

Cryptic

Having a secret or hidden meaning; as, cryptic symbols engraved in stone; cryptic writings.

Obscure

Unknown or uncertain; unclear.
The etymological roots of the word "blizzard" are obscure and open to debate.

Cryptic

Having a puzzling terseness; as, a cryptic note.

Obscure

(transitive) To render obscure; to darken; to make dim; to keep in the dark; to hide; to make less visible, intelligible, legible, glorious, beautiful, or illustrious.

Cryptic

Not evident; unrecognized; as, a cryptic infection.

Obscure

(transitive) To hide, put out of sight etc.

Cryptic

Written in a code or cipher; as, a cryptic message.

Obscure

To conceal oneself; to hide.

Cryptic

Of an obscure nature;
The new insurance policy is written without cryptic or mysterious terms
A deep dark secret
The inscrutible workings of Providence
In its mysterious past it encompasses all the dim origins of life
Rituals totally mystifying to visitors from other lands

Obscure

Covered over, shaded, or darkened; destitute of light; imperfectly illuminated; dusky; dim.
His lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.

Cryptic

Having a secret or hidden meaning;
Cabalistic symbols engraved in stone
Cryptic writings
Thoroughly sibylline in most of his pronouncements

Obscure

Of or pertaining to darkness or night; inconspicuous to the sight; indistinctly seen; hidden; retired; remote from observation; unnoticed.
The obscure birdClamored the livelong night.
The obscure corners of the earth.

Cryptic

Having a puzzling terseness;
A cryptic note

Obscure

Not noticeable; humble; mean.

Obscure

Not easily understood; not clear or legible; abstruse or incomprehensible; as, an obscure passage or inscription.

Obscure

Not clear, full, or distinct; clouded; imperfect; as, an obscure view of remote objects.

Obscure

To render obscure; to darken; to make dim; to keep in the dark; to hide; to make less visible, intelligible, legible, glorious, beautiful, or illustrious.
They are all couched in a pit hard by Herne's oak, with obscured lights.
Why, 't is an office of discovery, love,And I should be obscured.
There is scarce any duty which has been so obscured by the writings of learned men as this.
And seest not sin obscures thy godlike frame?

Obscure

To conceal one's self; to hide; to keep dark.
How! There's bad news.I must obscure, and hear it.

Obscure

Obscurity.

Obscure

Make less visible or unclear;
The stars are obscured by the clouds

Obscure

Make unclear, indistinct, or blurred;
Her remarks confused the debate
Their words obnubilate their intentions

Obscure

Make obscure or unclear;
The distinction was obscured

Obscure

Make undecipherable or imperceptible by obscuring or concealing;
A hidden message
A veiled threat

Obscure

Make difficult to perceive by sight;
The foliage of the huge tree obscures the view of the lake

Obscure

Not clearly understood or expressed;
An obscure turn of phrase
An impulse to go off and fight certain obscure battles of his own spirit
Their descriptions of human behavior become vague, dull, and unclear
Vague...forms of speech...have so long passed for mysteries of science

Obscure

Marked by difficulty of style or expression;
Much that was dark is now quite clear to me
Those who do not appreciate Kafka's work say his style is obscure

Obscure

Difficult to find;
Hidden valleys
A hidden cave
An obscure retreat

Obscure

Not famous or acclaimed;
An obscure family
Unsung heroes of the war

Obscure

Not drawing attention;
An unnoticeable cigarette burn on the carpet
An obscure flaw

Obscure

Remote and separate physically or socially;
Existed over the centuries as a world apart
Preserved because they inhabited a place apart
Tiny isolated villages remote from centers of civilization
An obscure village

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