obfuscation

/ˌɑbfəˈskeɪʃən/

Other forms: obfuscations

The act of obscuring something to make it more difficult to understand is called obfuscation. Lawyers are sometimes accused of obfuscation, since legal contracts can be so difficult to understand.

The word obfuscation is from the verb obfuscate, which itself comes from the Latin word obfuscare, meaning "to darken." The confusion that results when something is muddled or obfuscated is also called obfuscation. If you intentionally make something more complex or more difficult to see or understand, then you are guilty of obfuscation.

Definitions of obfuscation

1. noun

   darkening or obscuring the sight of something
   type of:

   blackening, darkening

   changing to a darker color
2. noun

   the activity of obscuring people's understanding, leaving them baffled or bewildered
   synonyms: mystification

   type of:

   activity

   any specific behavior
3. noun

   confusion resulting from failure to understand
   synonyms: bafflement, befuddlement, bemusement, bewilderment, mystification, puzzlement

   type of:

   confusedness, confusion, disarray, mental confusion, muddiness

   a mental state characterized by a lack of clear and orderly thought and behavior