Abstruse — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /əb-ˈstrüs/ ab·struse

Meaning & Definition of Abstruse

Abstruse (adjective)

  1. difficult to comprehend, recondite

Abstruse (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. difficult for one of ordinary knowledge or intelligence to understand

    "you're not the only one who finds Einstein's theory of relativity abstruse"

    similar: arcane, deep, esoteric, hermetic, profound, recondite
    related: erudite, learned, scholarly, academic, pedantic, complex, complicated, hard, darkling, enigmatic, inscrutable, mysterious, mystic, mystical, orphic, uncanny, impenetrable, incomprehensible, unfathomable, unintelligible, ambiguous, cryptic, unanswerable, unknowable, baffling, bewildering, confounding, confusing, disorienting, mystifying, perplexing, puzzling
    opposite: shallow, superficial
    near: easy, facile, simple, straightforward, comprehensible, fathomable, intelligible, understandable, apparent, clear, clear-cut, distinct, evident, lucid, manifest, obvious, perspicuous, plain, transparent

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Abstruse

The most common words with a similar meaning to Abstruse:

arcane, deep, esoteric, hermetic, profound, recondite

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Abstruse

Words with the opposite meaning of Abstruse:

shallow, superficial

Related Words for Abstruse

erudite, learned, scholarly, academic, pedantic, complex, complicated, hard, darkling, enigmatic, inscrutable, mysterious, mystic, mystical, orphic, uncanny, impenetrable, incomprehensible, unfathomable, unintelligible, ambiguous, cryptic, unanswerable, unknowable, baffling, bewildering, confounding, confusing, disorienting, mystifying

Near Antonyms of Abstruse

easy, facile, simple, straightforward, comprehensible, fathomable, intelligible, understandable, apparent, clear, clear-cut, distinct, evident, lucid, manifest, obvious, perspicuous, plain, transparent

Word Forms of Abstruse

Derived words: abstrusely (adverb), abstruseness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Abstruse

borrowed from Latin abstrūsus "concealed, recondite," from past participle of abstrūdere "to conceal," from abs- (variant of ab- ab- before c- and t-) + trūdere "to push, thrust" threat:1

First known use: circa 1549

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Abstruse

Frequently Asked Questions about Abstruse

What does "Abstruse" mean?

"Abstruse" means difficult to comprehend, recondite. As an adjective, it is defined as: difficult to comprehend, recondite.

What is another word for "Abstruse"?

Other words for "Abstruse" include arcane, deep, esoteric, hermetic, profound and recondite. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Abstruse" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Abstruse"?

There are 38 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Abstruse". Common alternatives include arcane, deep, esoteric, hermetic, profound and recondite.

What is the opposite of "Abstruse"?

Antonyms of "Abstruse" include shallow and superficial. Near antonyms include easy, facile, simple and straightforward.

How do you use "Abstruse" in a sentence?

Examples of "Abstruse" in a sentence: "you're not the only one who finds Einstein's theory of relativity abstruse".

Is "Abstruse" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Abstruse" is an adjective.

Is "Abstruse" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Abstruse" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Abstruse"?

"Abstruse" is pronounced /əb-ˈstrüs/ and divided into syllables as ab·struse.