1
: blocking the passage of radiant energy and especially light : exhibiting opacity (see opacity sense 1)
2
a
: hard to understand or explain
opaque prose
b
opaque
noun
opaquely
adverb
opaqueness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of opaque in a Sentence
In the opening hour, a group of strangers receive a maddeningly opaque cell-phone summons to join a secret cross-country race with a $32 million prize. The thing is, the summons can also be a threat (one competitor's wife is possibly being held captive), and the consequences of falling behind are murderous.
—
Tom Gliatto, People, 23 Apr. 2007
The reality facing Rory Stewart was that he was sent into a collapsed rural region in a country of which he knew almost nothing, and in which he had to find his way through a maze of opaque tribal and religious relationships.
—Robert Skidelsky, New York Review of Books, 5 Oct. 2006
Arborio rice, the kind that grows in the Po Valley and gave rise to the wonderful dish risotto, has a tiny opaque white pearl on the inside that remains al dente, and starch on the outside that the grains release during cooking, making a creamy sauce.
—Corby Kummer, Atlantic, March 1993
the opaque water of the muddy river
somehow listeners seem to connect with the songwriter, despite his deeply personal, often opaque lyrics
Tom Gliatto, People, 23 Apr. 2007
The reality facing Rory Stewart was that he was sent into a collapsed rural region in a country of which he knew almost nothing, and in which he had to find his way through a maze of opaque tribal and religious relationships.
—Robert Skidelsky, New York Review of Books, 5 Oct. 2006
Arborio rice, the kind that grows in the Po Valley and gave rise to the wonderful dish risotto, has a tiny opaque white pearl on the inside that remains al dente, and starch on the outside that the grains release during cooking, making a creamy sauce.
—Corby Kummer, Atlantic, March 1993
the opaque water of the muddy river
somehow listeners seem to connect with the songwriter, despite his deeply personal, often opaque lyrics
Recent Examples on the Web
Laos, an opaque communist state, tightly controls its media and remained silent on the deaths for more than a week before issuing its first statement.
—Helen Regan, CNN, 29 Nov. 2024
Dong Yuyu's family TAIPEI, Taiwan — China has sentenced a longtime Chinese state media journalist to seven years in prison on charges of espionage, in a case press freedom advocates have criticized as opaque and politicized.
—Emily Feng, NPR, 29 Nov. 2024
Climbers hopeful for permits for Everest’s north side have been navigating an opaque permitting process since China officially reopened it to foreign nationals in 2024 after the pandemic.
—Matt Coté, Outside Online, 28 Nov. 2024
Paintings from this period are distinguished by their flat appearance, with no depth of field or any other realistic depictions, and opaque earth tones.
—Debra Utacia Krol, USA TODAY, 28 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for opaque 
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Helen Regan, CNN, 29 Nov. 2024
Dong Yuyu's family TAIPEI, Taiwan — China has sentenced a longtime Chinese state media journalist to seven years in prison on charges of espionage, in a case press freedom advocates have criticized as opaque and politicized.
—Emily Feng, NPR, 29 Nov. 2024
Climbers hopeful for permits for Everest’s north side have been navigating an opaque permitting process since China officially reopened it to foreign nationals in 2024 after the pandemic.
—Matt Coté, Outside Online, 28 Nov. 2024
Paintings from this period are distinguished by their flat appearance, with no depth of field or any other realistic depictions, and opaque earth tones.
—Debra Utacia Krol, USA TODAY, 28 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for opaque
Dictionary Entries Near opaque
Cite this Entry
“Opaque.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opaque. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.
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