If you come across a word that you don’t know, the quick way to find its meaning is to use a dictionary. A good on-line or paper dictionary will provide you with the definition of the word and several examples. Unfortunately, if there are other unfamiliar words in that definition or the examples, the dictionary entry might obfuscate the matter and you’ll end up being more confused than ever.

As an example, let’s look at the word obfuscate. It’s an unusual word, and not one with any common root words that you might recognize. Here’s the way one dictionary defines the word:

To confound or muddle; to eclipse or befog.

Did this definition help you understand how the word was used in the first paragraph? Part of the reason you might still be confused is that there are two different but related meanings to the word, and they’ve been combined on one line in this definition. Let’s look at the synonyms and antonyms provided along with the definition:

Synonyms: darken, confuse, overshadow, obscure

Antonyms: clarify, enlighten, simplify, explain

When we look at the synonyms and antonyms, the meaning of the word becomes more obvious. Obfuscate means to make dark or shadowed, either physically (as in an eclipse or on a hazy day) or metaphorically (to hide something or make it difficult to understand). If we track down the word’s etymology, we find that it comes from the Latin root word fuscus, meaning “dark.” When a person hides the truth of a situation from someone else – that is, when they obfuscate the issue – we often say that they’re keeping them in the dark, not letting any light shine on the matter to clarify it or expose it.

If you find yourself feeling foggy about a word’s meaning, check its synonyms and antonyms, and things will become much more clear.