abstruse Definition
ab·struse (ab stro̵̅o̅s′, əb-)
adjective
hard to understand because of being extremely complex, intellectually demanding, highly abstract, etc.; deep; recondite
Etymology: L abstrusus, pp. of abstrudere, to thrust away < ab(s)-, away + trudere, to thrust
abstruse Related Forms
ab·struse′ly adverb
ab·struse′·ness noun
ab·stru′·sity noun pl. -·ties
abstruse Synonyms
abstruse Telecom Definition
Difficult to comprehend because of complexity and intellectual demands. See also obtuse.
abstruse Usage Examples
Preposition: in
part: Turned out to be good after all, albeit rambling and abstruse in parts.
Modifies a noun
- point: It's clever, fun and makes a fairly abstruse point very neatly.
- problem: The range of subjects offered is exceptionally wide: you can learn about everything from black holes to the most abstruse problems in logic.
- calculation: We are having to make assumptions and abstruse calculations from what may well be imperfect data.
- subject: The poor old fellow used to be plagued by many who were curious to ascertain his opinion upon abstruse subjects.
- term: These abstruse terms can be illustrated most simply by diagrams.
- argument: Appeal No 8. It seems a fairly abstruse argument presented by the players.
Modifying Another Word
- too: The subject is too abstruse to enlarge further upon here.
- very: Avoid, at one extreme, explaining very elementary things and, at the other, not explaining very abstruse things.
- rather: Attendance at the March lecture surprised our lecturer, Clive Rouse, who considered the subject rather abstruse.
- fairly: Appeal No 8. It seems a fairly abstruse argument presented by the players.
- often: His ability to render the often abstruse philosophical arguments of Shankara into comprehensible and readable English is without parallel in my experience.
- little: Until last week, that point may have seemed a little abstruse.
Used with adjective complement
seem: The machinations over the budget and over agriculture seem abstruse.
Browse dictionary entries near abstruse
- ‹ abstriction
- ‹ abstrict
- ‹ abstractive
- ‹ abstractionism
- ‹ abstraction
- ‹ abstracted
- ‹ abstract of title
- ‹ abstract of record
- ‹ abstract of judgment
- ‹ abstract expressionism
- absurd ›
- absurdist ›
- absurdity ›
- Abu al-Qāsim ›
- Abu-Bakr ›
- Abu Dhabi ›
- Abu'l-'Ala¤ Al-Ma'arri ›
- Abu'l-'Ala Al-Ma'arri ›
- Abu Simbel ›
- Abuja ›

