What does deliberately obtuse mean?

"Deliberately obtuse" describes someone who is intentionally unclear, unintelligent, or slow to understand. It suggests that they are pretending not to understand something, either to avoid a direct answer, to be difficult, or for some other reason.

Here's a breakdown:

* Deliberately: This means that the person is doing this on purpose, not by accident.

* Obtuse: This means lacking sharpness of intellect or understanding. It can also mean blunt or dull.

Examples:

* "The politician gave a deliberately obtuse answer to the reporter's question, hoping to avoid taking a clear stance on the issue."

* "My friend's comments were so deliberately obtuse that I wasn't sure if she was being serious or not."

Other words that convey a similar meaning:

* Evasive

* Noncommittal

* Vague

* Insincere

* Unresponsive

In short, being deliberately obtuse is a way of being intentionally unclear or unintelligent, often for manipulative purposes.