What does "opaque" mean?
An area of darkness; a place or region with no light.
Opaque
/əʊˈpeɪk/ adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An area of darkness; a place or region with no light.
- Grammar: opaque is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: unintelligible, abstract exercises, abstruse, adiaphanous.
- Useful contrasts: bright, brilliant, clear.
- Usage evidence: "The day pulls to a close" is a barbarism, possibly entirely opaque if you fail to recognize it as a translation of "The day draws to a close."
How to use "opaque"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "opaque" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "opaque" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "opaque" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "opaque" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "opaque" is acting as adj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "unintelligible" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "opaque", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An area of darkness; a place or region with no light. obsolete, poetic
"Through this opaque of Nature and of Soul, / This double night, transmit one pitying ray, / To lighten, and to cheer."
- 2 Something which is opaque rather than translucent.
"They can be obtained in various thicknesses and in many colors, including beautiful imitations of pearl, mother-of-pearl, veins and mottles, stratifications, roll stratifications, imitation corals, and all colors of translucents, transparents and opaques, grained ivory, shell (plain and corrugated mottle), onyx, wood effects, plaids, checks, stripes, metallic, bronze pearl plain, bronze pearl with fancy blocks, bronze pearl in veins and stripes, and what is called “essence pearl.”"
Verb
- 1 To make, render (more) opaque. transitive
Adjective
- 1 Neither reflecting nor emitting light.
"We have agreed that heat is energy to begin with. Light is also a form of energy for when absorbed by any opaque substance it turns completely into heat."
- 2 Allowing little light to pass through, not translucent or transparent.
- 3 Unclear, unintelligible, hard to get or explain the meaning of. figuratively
- 4 Obtuse, stupid. figuratively
- 5 Describes a type for which higher-level callers have no knowledge of data values or their representations; all operations are carried out by the type's defined abstract operators.
Adjective
- 1 not transmitting or reflecting light or radiant energy; impenetrable to sight wordnet
- 2 hard or impossible to understand wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
""The day pulls to a close" is a barbarism, possibly entirely opaque if you fail to recognize it as a translation of "The day draws to a close.""
Common questions
What is a synonym for "opaque"?
Common synonyms include: unintelligible, abstract exercises, abstruse, adiaphanous, adiaphanous, ambiguous.
How do you use "opaque" in a sentence?
"The day pulls to a close" is a barbarism, possibly entirely opaque if you fail to recognize it as a translation of "The day draws to a close."
How do you pronounce "opaque"?
Pronounced /əʊˈpeɪk/.
Etymology
From Middle English opake, from Latin opacus (“shaded, shady, dark”) (of unknown origin), later reinforced from Middle French opaque. Doublet of ubac.