Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

conspicuous

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of conspicuous

1 likely to attract attention
  • The seven-foot-tall basketball player is conspicuous in any crowd.
Synonyms of conspicuous

arresting, bold, brilliant, catchy, commanding, dramatic, emphatic, eye-catching, flamboyant, marked, noisy, noticeable, prominent, pronounced, remarkable, showy, splashy, striking
Words Related to conspicuous

detectable, discernible (also discernable), observable, perceptible, recognizable, visible

outstanding, salient

distinguished, eminent, impressive, notable, noteworthy

highlighted, spotlighted

flagrant, glaring, howling, screaming

flashy, garish, gaudy, glitzy, jazzy, loud, meretricious, swank (or swanky), tawdry

highfalutin (also hifalutin), ostentatious, pretentious

extravagant, fancy, florid, glittery, spectacular

opulent, ornate, overdone, overwrought
Near Antonyms of conspicuous

subtle

concealed, hidden, shrouded

dim, faint, obscure

insignificant, undistinguished, unimportant

modest, unaffected, unassuming, unpretentious

conservative, plain, quiet, simple, understated

muted, restrained, subdued, toned-down
Antonyms of conspicuous

inconspicuous, unemphatic, unflamboyant, unnoticeable, unobtrusive, unremarkable, unshowy
2 very noticeable especially for being incorrect or bad
  • conspicuous bureaucratic waste that drives taxpayers crazy
Synonyms of conspicuous

blatant, egregious, flagrant, glaring, gross, obvious, patent, pronounced, rank, striking
Words Related to conspicuous

arresting, clear, distinct, dramatic, emphatic, evident, eye-catching, marked, notable, noticeable, outstanding, plain, prominent, remarkable, salient, showy, splashy

absolute, arrant, downright, out-and-out, outright, sheer, stark, utter

detectable, discernible (also discernable), observable, perceptible, visible

abominable, atrocious, awful, deplorable, execrable, heinous, lousy, monstrous, outrageous
Near Antonyms of conspicuous

imperceptible, inconspicuous, unnoticeable, unobtrusive

inconsequential, inconsiderable, insignificant, slight, small, trifling, trivial

concealed, hidden, invisible

Synonym Discussion of conspicuous

noticeable, remarkable, prominent, outstanding, conspicuous, salient, striking mean attracting notice or attention. noticeable applies to something unlikely to escape observation.
    • a piano recital with no noticeable errors
remarkable applies to something so extraordinary or exceptional as to invite comment.
    • a film of remarkable intelligence and wit
prominent applies to something commanding notice by standing out from its surroundings or background.
    • a doctor who occupies a prominent position in the town
outstanding applies to something that rises above and excels others of the same kind.
    • honored for her outstanding contributions to science
conspicuous applies to something that is obvious and unavoidable to the sight or mind.
    • conspicuous bureaucratic waste
salient applies to something of significance that merits the attention given it.
    • the salient points of the speech
striking applies to something that impresses itself powerfully and deeply upon the observer's mind or vision.
    • the region's striking poverty

Learn More about conspicuous

  1. See words that rhyme with conspicuous Dictionary: Definition of conspicuous Spanish Central: Translation of conspicuous Nglish: Translation of conspicuous for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of conspicuous for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up conspicuous? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games