noun

obfuscation

ob-fuh-SKAY-shun/ˌɑːbfəˈskeɪʃn/

The act or result of making something unclear or confusing.

The extra arrows create obfuscation, making the simple process difficult to follow.

A presenter makes a simple visual process difficult to follow by drawing a dense tangle of extra arrows over its clear three-step diagram, while a viewer struggles to trace the route.

Etymology

obLatinbefore, in front of

+fuscLatindark

+ationLatinact or process

The central image is darkening: Latin obfuscare meant to make dark, usually figuratively. Obfuscation makes an explanation or idea harder to understand, as darkness makes something harder to see.

In context

Audiopedia0:00

In software development, obfuscation is the deliberate act of creating obfuscated code, i.e. source or machine code that is difficult for humans to understand.

Obfuscation (software)

More examples

Please answer the question without further obfuscation.
Technical jargon can become a tool of obfuscation.
The editor cuts through the article's obfuscations and explains what happened.

Forms

obfuscation · obfuscations

obfuscate verb — To make something unclear or confusing.

obfuscatory adjective — Tending to make something unclear or confusing.

Similar words

confusion: Confusion emphasizes the resulting bewilderment rather than what causes it.
concealment: Concealment hides information outright rather than making it hard to understand.