remain unclear vs remain obscure

Both "remain unclear" and "remain obscure" are correct phrases in English, but they are used in slightly different contexts. "Remain unclear" is used when something is not easily understood or not clear, while "remain obscure" is used when something is not well-known or not easily seen or understood. The choice between the two depends on whether you want to convey a lack of clarity or a lack of visibility or knowledge.

Last updated: April 06, 2024 • 235 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate that something is not easily understood or not clear.

"remain unclear"

Use "remain unclear" when you want to express that something is not clear or easily understood.

Examples:

The instructions remain unclear, so I'm not sure what to do next.
The reasons for his decision remain unclear to us.
The outcome of the meeting remains unclear at this point.

Show examples from the web [+]

Your voice is kind but your intentions remain unclear.
This should not in itself be dangerous, other than the peculiar fact that the exact details of the connections remain unclear for many drives.
The precise links between these processes, however, remain unclear.
You've been locked in the attic for reasons that remain unclear. You must escape.
The exact reasons for the king's dissatisfaction remain unclear.
The objectives of the conspirators in the other two cases remain unclear.
Investigators conclude that a suicide bomber caused the plane to explode, although motives and affiliation of the bomber remain unclear.
The Council has achieved a significant amount, but a few points remain unclear, particularly given the objective set out above.
In his report Mr Muis writes: The reasons for the omission of this key information remain unclear.
In my view there are numerous aspects of the true motivation for mandating the EIB that remain unclear.
The feeding habits of Carnotaurus remain unclear: some studies suggest the animal was able to hunt down very large prey such as sauropods, while other studies find it preyed mainly on relatively small animals.
The circumstances of its making remain unclear, and despite the extensive tradition of medieval reliefs on buildings, making them on natural rock formations at a large size remained very rare.
In addition to the questions that still remain unclear, the proposal seems to confuse the goals and means of achieving them, the national level and that of business, and market instruments and traditional administration based on control.
The association with obesity seems to be the strongest of any type of obesity-related cancer, though the reasons for this remain unclear.
The exact causes of the degenerative process remain unclear.
Circumstances of the incident remain unclear.
Yet, the exact nature of those measures remain unclear.
Eyewitnesses have described the shooter as a while male, but other details remain unclear.
The circumstances of the deaths of Dewhirst and Hamill remain unclear.
The nature and extent of his contributions remain unclear.

Alternatives:

stay unclear
continue to be unclear
remain ambiguous
remain vague
remain uncertain

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate that something is not well-known or not easily seen or understood.

"remain obscure"

Use "remain obscure" when you want to express that something is not well-known or not easily seen or understood.

Examples:

The origins of the tradition remain obscure.
The details of the incident remain obscure to the public.
The meaning of the ancient text remains obscure.

Show examples from the web [+]

While some of the nations listed are easily identifiable, some remain obscure.
Aside from the common images of citizens and the Luttrell family, some images remain obscure but others can be related to the text beside which they are painted.
A number of details about Jean Lafitte's early life remain obscure - often they contradict each other.
Despite the many things that were written and despite the trials, the story of Father Popieluszko is not all clear: some details remain obscure...
The mob had been sent by Mensurius, the bishop of the city, and Caecilian, his deacon, for reasons that remain obscure.
The dynamics of his release, as well as the identity of those who kidnapped him, remain obscure.
The mob had been sent by Mensurius, the bishop of the city, and Caecilian, his deacon, for reasons that remain obscure. In 311, Caecilian was elected bishop of Carthage.
The origins of insect flight remain obscure, since the earliest winged insects currently known appear to have been capable fliers.
The specific events that led to the stronghold's abandonment and to the end of Kifrin remain obscure.
Many details of the development of the system during the 350 years which elapsed between the time of Bede and the Domesday Book remain obscure.
We have access to some of these, or alternatively we are able to access them, but many remain obscure.
After Jamie Muir went away (for reasons destined to remain obscure for about thirty years), David Cross's violin and keyboards could not be able to compete with an unstoppable rhythmic section.
Frankly, we will continue to face the same problem, whatever specific reforms we come up with, if they remain obscure, complex and unexplained.
Hitherto, although scientists had identified the molecules that contribute to the compaction of the DNA - histones, transition proteins, protamines, the molecular determinants causing these rapid changes in configuration remain obscure.
The game of fabrication was such that even today some aspects of that episode remain obscure, while the substance was summarized by in this article:> Italy, United States, Brazil.
Such a work of appropriation and translation can, and even must, remain obscure and even unconscious in its development, since, in transcending the chosen object, a certain loss of memory on the part of whoever chose the object is necessary.
Its cultic origins remain obscure.
At this point, Toussaint, for reasons that remain obscure, suddenly joined the French and turned against the Spanish, ambushing his allies as they emerged from attending mass in a church at San Raphael on 6 May 1794.
The shapes and surfaces of the sculptures are obliged to other, mostly absent, objects-some we might be able to identify, others remain obscure.

Alternatives:

stay obscure
continue to be obscure
remain hidden
remain unknown
remain unseen

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remain unclear vs remain obscure

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"remain obscure"

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