obfuscation — English Dictionary

Noun

1. The act or process of obfuscating, or obscuring the perception of something; the concept of concealing the meaning of a communication by making it more confusing and harder to interpret.

   Usage

   • Formal
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   Until the 1920s, American newspapers heavily relied upon their London correspondents, the British Press and Reuters (which had a mutually beneficial, monopoly agreement with the Government of India for preferential access) for news about India. The news was hence generally from the British perspective and news obfuscation attempts on events that cast the Raj in a poor light, like details of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, usually succeeded.

2. The act or process of obfuscating, or obscuring the perception of something; the concept of concealing the meaning of a communication by making it more confusing and harder to interpret. The alteration of computer code to preserve its behavior while concealing its structure and intent.

   Usage

   • Formal
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   You need to turn on obfuscation for these classes.

3. Confusion, bewilderment, or a baffled state resulting from something obfuscated, or made more opaque and muddled with the intent to obscure information.

   Usage

   • Formal
   • Uncountable

4. A single instance of intentionally obscuring the meaning of something to make it more difficult to grasp.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Formal

   Examples

   During the debate, the candidate sighed at his opponent's obfuscations.

Noun

1. confusion resulting from failure to understand

   Synonyms

   bewildermentpuzzlementbefuddlementmystificationbafflementbemusement

   Broader terms

   confusionmental confusionconfusednessmuddinessdisarray

2. the activity of obscuring people's understanding, leaving them baffled or bewildered

   Synonyms

   mystification

   Broader terms

   activity

3. darkening or obscuring the sight of something

   Broader terms

   blackeningdarkening