obvious

adjective ob·vi·ous \ ˈäb-vē-əs \

|Updated on: 18 Jun 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: obvious in a Sentence

Definition of obvious

1 archaic : being in the way or in front

2 : easily discovered, seen, or understood

It was obvious that things weren't working out.

She stayed for obvious reasons.

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obviousness

noun

See obvious defined for English-language learners

See obvious defined for kids

Examples of obvious in a Sentence

Her doctor immediately noticed the obvious signs of the disease.
She saw only the most obvious differences.
It was obvious that things weren't working out.
The answer seems obvious enough to me.
The problem was immediately obvious to everyone in the room.
He was the obvious candidate for president.
The obvious question is: how did he become so successful?
For obvious reasons, I would not like to reveal my name.

Recent Examples of obvious from the Web

To outsiders, Oath’s mission is obvious: Take on Facebook and Google.

— erin griffith, WIRED, "Can Verizon Build a Strong Brand From the Bones of Yahoo and AOL?," 15 June 2018
Their results suggested that although the amphibians are obvious at close range, their colors and patterns merge into the rainforest background as viewing distance increases.

— michael allen, Science | AAAS, "How bright colors help these poison tree frogs hide from predators," 13 June 2018
This became particularly obvious when, in November 2016, the people of Rotterdam held a referendum on the city’s suggestion to replace 20,000 units of affordable social-housing units with 36,000 properties for middle- and upper-income households.

— olga mecking, The Atlantic, "‘Cargo-Bike Moms’ Are Gentrifying the Netherlands," 11 June 2018
With people lining up on the street before the 3 p.m. weekday opening time, the popularity of the popup is obvious.

— grace dickinson, Philly.com, "A new popup exhibition is now open in Philly, designed with the Instagrammer in mind," 6 June 2018
Aside from the obvious environmental, public health, and congestion benefits of replacing car trips with bike trips, bike-sharing has a safety record that is unmatched by any other public transit system.

— alissa walker, Curbed, "Can dockless and station-based bike-share programs coexist?," 30 May 2018
Who that third party might have been is obvious to no one except Kime.

— david usborne, Town & Country, "The Mysterious Case of the Parnham House Fire," 29 May 2018
Now there are plenty of obvious reasons the Warriors lost Game 4.

— al saracevic, SFChronicle.com, "After four long years of winning, are the Warriors tired?," 23 May 2018
Unlike investment banks or tech firms, where the dearth of women is obvious at a glance, in designer showrooms and studios, women are everywhere.

— hilary george-parkin, Glamour, "The Glass Runway: Our Exclusive Survey on the State of the Fashion Industry," 21 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'obvious.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of obvious

Latin obvius, from obviam in the way, from ob in the way of + viam, accusative of via way — more at ob-, via

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1583

in the meaning defined at sense 2

See Words from the same year

obvious Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of obvious

evident, manifest, patent, distinct, obvious, apparent, plain, clear mean readily perceived or apprehended. evident implies presence of visible signs that lead one to a definite conclusion.

- an evident fondness for sweets

manifest implies an external display so evident that little or no inference is required.

- manifest hostility

patent applies to a cause, effect, or significant feature that is clear and unmistakable once attention has been directed to it.

- patent defects

distinct implies such sharpness of outline or definition that no unusual effort to see or hear or comprehend is required.

- a distinct refusal

obvious implies such ease in discovering that it often suggests conspicuousness or little need for perspicacity in the observer.

- the obvious solution

apparent is very close to evident except that it may imply more conscious exercise of inference.

- for no apparent reason

plain suggests lack of intricacy, complexity, or elaboration.

- her feelings about him are plain

clear implies an absence of anything that confuses the mind or obscures the pattern.

- a clear explanation

OBVIOUS Defined for English Language Learners

obvious

adjective

Definition of obvious for English Language Learners

: easy to see or notice
: easy for the mind to understand or recognize

OBVIOUS Defined for Kids

obvious

adjective ob·vi·ous \ ˈäb-vē-əs \

Definition of obvious for Students

: easily found, seen, or understood

He … held on to me, even after it was obvious that I was not going to fall.
—Sharon Creech, Walk Two Moons

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obviously

adverb

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obviousness

noun

Law Dictionary

obvious

adjective ob·vi·ous

legal Definition of obvious

: easily seen, discovered, or understood; specifically : readily apparent to a person of ordinary skill in a particular art considering the scope and content of the prior art — see also patent

Note: An invention that is found to be obvious cannot be patented.

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