Opaque
mediumNegative toneoh-PAYK
adjective
Definition
Not able to be seen through; not transparent; difficult to understand
Memory hook
O-PAQUE: 'Oh, I can't PEEK through!' - blocked from seeing through, whether glass or meaning.
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“The frosted glass was opaque and provided privacy.”
“His writing style was opaque and hard to understand.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“The frosted glass was ______ and provided privacy.”
Show answer
opaque
Synonyms
Antonyms
Categories
GRE Tip
Opaque is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "obscure" or "unclear" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "transparent".
Related GRE Words
cryptic
Having a meaning that is mysterious or obscure
esoteric
Intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with specialized knowledge
recondite
Little known; abstruse; dealing with very profound, difficult, or specialized subject matter
obscure
Not discovered or known about; uncertain
abstruse
Difficult to understand; obscure
obfuscate
To render obscure, unclear, or unintelligible
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