CLOUDING Synonyms: 82 Similar and Opposite Words

clouding

verb

present participle of cloud

as in obscuring

to make dark, dim, or indistinct the diner's dark interior, clouded with smoke and grease

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in confusing

to make (something) unclear to the understanding cloud the issue with obscure statistics

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of clouding Something about home or family could be distracting you in a way that’s clouding your read on your professional situation today. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2026 Beyond the 2022 case dismissal, in other instances, charges were never filed, information has come out clouding an accuser’s story, or Brown has counter-sued for defamation — details which complicate each story. — Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026 The detention of Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu on Thursday risks clouding Lusaka’s credentials as a relatively stable southern African democracy and denting investor confidence in Africa’s second-largest copper producer. — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 28 Aug. 2026 In addition to the starters who have yet to practice for the Panthers, a couple of notable first- and second-year players have been sidelined recently, clouding the roster picture a bit. — Joseph Person, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 Then Kris drifts outside, her face clouding, followed by Billy. — Jp Mangalindan, Time, 10 Aug. 2026 What underlying assumptions are clouding my strategic judgment? — Simone Lundquist, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Wholesale inflation fell from May to June on plunging energy prices, but intensifying hostilities with Iran are clouding the outlook. — Paul Wiseman, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026 Are foggy relationships clouding your goals and ambitions? — Usa Today, USA Today, 25 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for clouding

Verb

But the speculation had become the real story, obscuring the events that were being bet on.

— Simon Denny, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
Bonny abandons her film, recognizing how its obscuring her filial understanding.

— Ryan Chapman, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of obscuring

Verb

Immigrant parents there wanted help writing to their kids’ teachers and making sense of confusing forms.

— Steven Choi, New York Daily News, 4 Oct. 2026
Critics say the requirements have been confusing and difficult for many voters to meet, potentially leaving millions off the registration lists and unable to vote.

— ABC News, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of confusing

Verb

The lines between Iñárritu’s fiction and our demented present are clearly blurring.

— Brent Lang, IndieWire, 30 Sep. 2026
The lines have been blurring between categories for a while, and now Snapdragon chips are powering laptops and delivering performance that rivals high-end Intel Core chips.

— Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of blurring

Verb

The lawsuit expanded on that, accusing the village of obfuscating the nature of the development during the earlier stages of approvals.

— Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026
The revelation is the latest example of how engaging the technology — and obfuscating such use — can roil audiences eager to support new films.

— Corbin Bolies, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of obfuscating

Verb

But at a festive National Day meal in Riyadh, where families dined while patriotic songs filled the room, there was a growing sense that the public mood may be darkening.

— Matthew Chance, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026
The title references Black Like Me, white journalist John Howard Griffin’s 1961 nonfiction book about darkening his skin to pass for Black in the Jim Crow South.

— Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of darkening

Verb

Her father is also fighting as a soldier in the Ukrainian Army, further muddying things.

— Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
But Trump’s approval ratings have suffered a year and a half into his second term and are muddying a race that Blakeman wants to keep squarely focused on Hochul and her management of the state.

— David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of muddying

Verb

In recent years, homeowners, developers and businesses have complained that navigating the Planning Department can be complicating and confusing.

— Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Hypersonic weapons can operate between these regimes, potentially complicating detection and interception.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2026

Definition of complicating

Browse Nearby Words

cloudiness

clouding

cloudland

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“Clouding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clouding. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of clouding

verb

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