the obvious
noun
: something that is easy to understand or recognize
You are stating the obvious. Tell me something I don't already know.
Try to look beyond the obvious.
Examples of the obvious in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Dessert Denouement After pie, coffee might seem the obvious move, but a tipple of sweet wine or a digestif ends the meal with far more finesse.
—
Anna Lee C. Iijima, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Nov. 2025
Back to being the obvious focal point of every defensive game plan.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
This Pasta Dish Has Layers of Flavor Beyond the obvious ones in the recipe name, there are some other ingredients that make this dish taste like more than the sum of its parts.
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 9 Nov. 2025
Australia and Canada, for instance, are both wealthy countries and large carbon emitters, but partisan divides over climate policy and concerns about the obvious upfront costs to voters have resulted in years of inconsistent policy.
—Jessica F. Green, Foreign Affairs, 7 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the obvious
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Anna Lee C. Iijima, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Nov. 2025
Back to being the obvious focal point of every defensive game plan.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
This Pasta Dish Has Layers of Flavor Beyond the obvious ones in the recipe name, there are some other ingredients that make this dish taste like more than the sum of its parts.
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 9 Nov. 2025
Australia and Canada, for instance, are both wealthy countries and large carbon emitters, but partisan divides over climate policy and concerns about the obvious upfront costs to voters have resulted in years of inconsistent policy.
—Jessica F. Green, Foreign Affairs, 7 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the obvious
Cite this Entry
“The obvious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20obvious. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share