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Reading notes: Abstruse
Abstruse (adjective): Difficult to understand, especially because an idea or explanation is complex.
Use it accurately
Use it for theories, arguments or technical passages. Do not confuse it with “obtuse”, which can describe someone being slow to understand. An abstruse explanation may need clearer examples.
Original example sentences
The lecture became abstruse when it introduced unfamiliar equations.
A diagram made the abstruse argument easier to follow.
Check your understanding
Is “abstruse” a better fit for a complex theory or a bright colour?
Answer: A complex theory. The adjective concerns difficulty of understanding.
Dictionary reference: Abstruse
Match the adjective to the problem
A student can read every word in a paragraph but cannot follow its complex theory. The lecturer explains it with a simple diagram.
Think it through: Does “abstruse” describe the original theory’s difficulty or the student’s attitude?
Check the explanation
The difficulty of understanding the theory. Calling the theory abstruse does not say the student is unwilling to learn. “The diagram clarified an abstruse idea” keeps that distinction clear.
Your turn: Say the final sentence aloud, then explain the idea of abstruse using simpler language.
Study abstruse in the written lesson: meaning and further examples.
Turn watching into practice
- Listen for a word or phrase you want to learn. Pause and repeat it aloud.
- Write its meaning in your own words, then replay to check your understanding.
- Create a sentence about your own life. Say it aloud without looking at your notes.