# Obtuse is NOT obscure.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obtuse-is-not-obscure/308485>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [June 16, 2005, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obtuse-is-not-obscure/308485 "2005-06-16T03:10:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![uglybeech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/82dd89/32.png) [@uglybeech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uglybeech)\
**Post date:** [June 16, 2005, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obtuse-is-not-obscure/308485/1 "2005-06-16T03:10:47Z")

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In fact it’s not even what you really mean which is abstruse.

You are obtuse. Buddhism is not.  
You are obtuse. Sam Delaney is not.  
You are obtuse. Quantum physics is not.

God help me - God help us all - I’ve just read _three_ unrelated book reviews on amazon in the space of fifteen minutes which describe difficult books/concepts as “obtuse.”

I’m calling it. Definitions are obsolete (or absolute? absolved? solvent?). Anwyay I’m burning my dictionary because it’s not helping me translate what the native speakers are spewing forth.

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**Author:** ![Coffee\_Manic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b77776/32.png) [@Coffee\_Manic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coffee_Manic)\
**Post date:** [June 16, 2005, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obtuse-is-not-obscure/308485/2 "2005-06-16T03:14:24Z")

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A concept certainly can be obtuse. At least, a _proposed_ concept can be. Do you have the words in context?

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**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\
**Post date:** [June 16, 2005, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obtuse-is-not-obscure/308485/3 "2005-06-16T03:29:41Z")

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Don’t be obtuse when you are really being obscure!

details, we want details–or at least examples.

😃

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**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\
**Post date:** [June 16, 2005, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obtuse-is-not-obscure/308485/4 "2005-06-16T03:39:41Z")

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Please don’t obfuscate, it makes me feel obtuse, even obtunded. Only you can obviate the obscurity of your objection.

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**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\
**Post date:** [June 16, 2005, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obtuse-is-not-obscure/308485/5 "2005-06-16T03:40:29Z")

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OK, we don’t need _three_ separate threads about word misuse in the Pit. I recommend adding these complaints to [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=321249) or [this one](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=321285).