inconspicuous

adjective

in·​con·​spic·​u·​ous ˌin-kən-ˈspi-kyə-wəs 

-kyü-əs

: not readily noticeable

an inconspicuous brick building

inconspicuously adverb

inconspicuousness noun

Synonyms of inconspicuous

• discreet
• invisible
• unnoticed

Examples of inconspicuous in a Sentence

She tried to remain as inconspicuous as possible so that no one would see her there.

left an inconspicuous scratch on the wall

Recent Examples on the Web

That could be because New Yorkers are inured to the perpetually temporary structures anyway or because the new designs, despite the day-care-center colors, do a good job of being inconspicuous. — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 24 June 2026

Once the flowers, which range from pale to vibrant yellow, are followed by dark green leaves, this shrub is rather inconspicuous for the rest of the year. — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 24 June 2026

There are no insecticides that will control the larva of this inconspicuous grayish-brown moth. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 17 June 2026

Szabo, an otherwise inconspicuous former bureaucrat, helped to unite two distinct networks with overlapping ambitions. — Alex Cuadros, ProPublica, 16 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin inconspicuus, from in- + conspicuus conspicuous

First Known Use

circa 1828, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

inconspicuous

adjective

in·​con·​spic·​u·​ous ˌin-kən-ˈspik-yə-wəs 

: not easily seen or noticed

inconspicuously adverb

inconspicuousness noun