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
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
But the Garage source said the real reason remained opaque and uncertain.
—Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2025
In a large skillet heat oil to 325 degrees.
Place 4 or 5 shrimp at a time in the hot oil and cook for around 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown and shrimp is opaque.
—Gretchen McKay, Boston Herald, 12 Mar. 2025
Even some of the most basic elements of the plot remain opaque—such as the purpose of the mundane computer tasks that some of the innies are asked to perform.
—Emma Stefansky, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2025
Sophisticated algorithms whose inner workings can be opaque make these predictions, so the lack of an uncertainty measure becomes an even greater problem when machine learning is involved.
—Ambuj Tewari, The Conversation, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for opaque
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Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2025
In a large skillet heat oil to 325 degrees.
Place 4 or 5 shrimp at a time in the hot oil and cook for around 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown and shrimp is opaque.
—Gretchen McKay, Boston Herald, 12 Mar. 2025
Even some of the most basic elements of the plot remain opaque—such as the purpose of the mundane computer tasks that some of the innies are asked to perform.
—Emma Stefansky, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2025
Sophisticated algorithms whose inner workings can be opaque make these predictions, so the lack of an uncertainty measure becomes an even greater problem when machine learning is involved.
—Ambuj Tewari, The Conversation, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for opaque
Cite this Entry
“Opaque.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opaque. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.
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