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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective evident contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of evident are apparent, clear, distinct, manifest, obvious, patent, and plain. While all these words mean "readily perceived or apprehended," evident implies presence of visible signs that lead one to a definite conclusion.

an evident fondness for sweets

How do apparent and evident relate to one another?

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

for no apparent reason

When can clear be used instead of evident?

The meanings of clear and evident largely overlap; however, clear implies an absence of anything that confuses the mind or obscures the pattern.

a clear explanation

When would distinct be a good substitute for evident?

The words distinct and evident can be used in similar contexts, but distinct implies such sharpness of outline or definition that no unusual effort to see or hear or comprehend is required.

a distinct refusal

When could manifest be used to replace evident?

In some situations, the words manifest and evident are roughly equivalent. However, manifest implies an external display so evident that little or no inference is required.

manifest hostility

In what contexts can obvious take the place of evident?

While the synonyms obvious and evident are close in meaning, obvious implies such ease in discovering that it often suggests conspicuousness or little need for perspicacity in the observer.

the obvious solution

When might patent be a better fit than evident?

While in some cases nearly identical to evident, patent applies to a cause, effect, or significant feature that is clear and unmistakable once attention has been directed to it.

patent defects

Where would plain be a reasonable alternative to evident?

Although the words plain and evident have much in common, plain suggests lack of intricacy, complexity, or elaboration.

her feelings about him are plain

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of evident The bandages and wraps are still evident on his wrist. Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025 His deep connection to this project was evident on set, according to Luna, and even before filming began, as Condon made sure Luna’s dancing skills were up to par before pairing him with Lopez. Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2025 One way is when iron-rich rock is exposed to high temperatures and acidic conditions, but neither are evident in the area around Cheyava Falls. Keith Cooper, Space.com, 1 Oct. 2025 The ruthless cruelty of capitalism and the hollowness of consumerism are evident in his exhibition. Edna Bonhomme, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for evident
Recent Examples of Synonyms for evident
Adjective
  • Foreclosure would become nonviable as a means of tax collection — with no readily apparent alternative means for timely collection of the delinquent revenue.
    Todd Spangler, Freep.com, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Remember, magnitude is the scale used by astronomers to chart the apparent brightness of an object in the night sky.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Black inks for the same printers tend to have less obvious smearing than the color ink, and many smear just enough to see a smudge, without harming readability.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2025
  • But Trump’s arbitrary brand of interventionism comes with obvious dangers.
    John Cassidy, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The presumed reasoning behind why the film was ignored is multilayered.
    Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Precise numbers of staffing cuts are hard to pin down, but their historic scale in the first eight months of this administration is unmistakable.
    Chris Sellers, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2025
  • But some parts are unmistakable.
    Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Outside the home, keep tree branches pruned, and as far away from the house as possible.
    Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Minor hail damage to vegetation is possible.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • A lot of the information being funneled to him and his peers from news sources wasn't clear.
    David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Your best chance to catch a glimpse of the auroras is at very high latitudes, such as northern Canada, Alaska, Greenland and possibly the far north of Scotland, if the skies are clear.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Once numbing kicks in, most patients describe the day as straightforward.
    Nia Bowers, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
  • That concentration makes capture relatively straightforward by routing the exhaust through chemical scrubbers, binding the CO2, compressing and storing it underground.
    Tejasri Gururaj, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Researchers from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have used a massive UK Biobank dataset analysis to identify that fat distribution, not just overall size, maps to distinct changes in brain structure and connectivity.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 28 Sep. 2025
  • The park encompasses 134 miles of that stretch and is divided into 13 distinct sections.
    Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Evident.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/evident. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.

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