obvious

adjective

ob·​vi·​ous ˈäb-vē-əs 

1

: easily discovered, seen, or understood

It was obvious that things weren't working out.

She stayed for obvious reasons.

2

archaic : being in the way or in front

obviousness noun

Synonyms

• apparent
• bald
• bald-faced
• barefaced
• bright-line
• broad
• clear
• clear-cut
• crystal clear
• decided
• distinct
• evident
• lucid
• luculent
• luminous
• manifest
• nonambiguous
• open-and-shut
• palpable
• patent
• pellucid
• perspicuous
• plain
• ringing
• straightforward
• transparent
• unambiguous
• unambivalent
• unequivocal
• unmistakable

Choose the Right Synonym for 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

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 on the Web

But where the team is headed was evidently quite obvious during the first meeting on the first day of the first phase of Harbaugh’s first offseason program. —Austin Knoblauch, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024

To delve into classic rock would be obvious, and in some ways restrictive to an artist as clever and imaginative as Beyoncé — though the motorcycles and leather-forward aesthetic approach would make for some fiery visuals. —Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2024

Late-stage symptoms are more serious and obvious, such as loss of coordination, personality changes, and weakness. —Barbie Cervoni, Health, 2 Apr. 2024

Pro sports prioritize grip strength training for obvious reasons (such as gripping a bat or a ball), but it’s seldom considered a staple in general fitness programs. —Dana Santas, CNN, 1 Apr. 2024

During their show in the Washington area on Friday, the choice for the final song was obvious. —Emily Yahr, Washington Post, 31 Mar. 2024

The Carter kids inherited their parents' work ethic, which became obvious when Beyoncé and Jay-Z's eldest, Blue Ivy, morphed into a backup dancer before our very eyes during her mom's Renaissance World Tour last year. —Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 30 Mar. 2024

The reasons are obvious enough, and can be explained without pointing to studies about skyrocketing anxiety, depression, and suicide rates among teen-agers. —Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2024

For any home gardeners who spend their weekends toiling in the backyard to keep their annuals alive and shrubbery in good form, the appeal of a botanical garden is obvious. —Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 21 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing obvious

• state the obvious
• the obvious

Kids Definition

obvious

adjective

ob·​vi·​ous ˈäb-vē-əs 

: easily found, seen, or understood : plain

an obvious mistake

obviousness noun

Legal Definition

obvious

adjective

ob·​vi·​ous

: 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.

obviousness noun