OBVIOUS Synonyms: 168 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'obvious' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of obvious are apparent , clear , distinct , evident , manifest , patent , and plain . While all these words mean "readily perceived or apprehended," obvious implies such ease in discovering that it often suggests conspicuousness or little need for perspicacity in the observer. // the obvious solution

Q: How do 'apparent' and 'evident' relate to one another, in the sense of 'obvious'?

Apparent is very close to evident except that it may imply more conscious exercise of inference. // for no apparent reason

Q: When is 'clear' a more appropriate choice than 'obvious'?

The synonyms clear and obvious are sometimes interchangeable, but clear implies an absence of anything that confuses the mind or obscures the pattern. // a clear explanation

Q: In what contexts can 'distinct' take the place of 'obvious'?

While in some cases nearly identical to obvious , distinct implies such sharpness of outline or definition that no unusual effort to see or hear or comprehend is required. // a distinct refusal

Q: When is it sensible to use 'evident' instead of 'obvious'?

Although the words evident and obvious have much in common, evident implies presence of visible signs that lead one to a definite conclusion. // an evident fondness for sweets

Q: When might 'manifest' be a better fit than 'obvious'?

The words manifest and obvious are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, manifest implies an external display so evident that little or no inference is required. // manifest hostility

Q: When would 'patent' be a good substitute for 'obvious'?

While the synonyms patent and obvious are close in meaning, patent applies to a cause, effect, or significant feature that is clear and unmistakable once attention has been directed to it. // patent defects

Q: When could 'plain' be used to replace 'obvious'?

In some situations, the words plain and obvious are roughly equivalent. However, plain suggests lack of intricacy, complexity, or elaboration. // her feelings about him are plain

obvious

adjective

ˈäb-vē-əs

Definition of obvious

as in apparent

not subject to misinterpretation or more than one interpretation that remark was an obvious joke, so lighten up

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in blatant

very noticeable especially for being incorrect or bad obvious errors in the book that the editor or proofreader should have caught

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective obvious contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of obvious are apparent, clear, distinct, evident, manifest, patent, and plain. While all these words mean "readily perceived or apprehended," obvious implies such ease in discovering that it often suggests conspicuousness or little need for perspicacity in the observer.

the obvious solution

How do apparent and evident relate to one another, in the sense of obvious?

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

for no apparent reason

When is clear a more appropriate choice than obvious?

The synonyms clear and obvious are sometimes interchangeable, but clear implies an absence of anything that confuses the mind or obscures the pattern.

a clear explanation

In what contexts can distinct take the place of obvious?

While in some cases nearly identical to obvious, distinct implies such sharpness of outline or definition that no unusual effort to see or hear or comprehend is required.

a distinct refusal

When is it sensible to use evident instead of obvious?

Although the words evident and obvious have much in common, evident implies presence of visible signs that lead one to a definite conclusion.

an evident fondness for sweets

When might manifest be a better fit than obvious?

The words manifest and obvious are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, manifest implies an external display so evident that little or no inference is required.

manifest hostility

When would patent be a good substitute for obvious?

While the synonyms patent and obvious are close in meaning, patent applies to a cause, effect, or significant feature that is clear and unmistakable once attention has been directed to it.

patent defects

When could plain be used to replace obvious?

In some situations, the words plain and obvious are roughly equivalent. However, 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 obvious Many places with higher shelter rates are in colder regions where there is an obvious incentive to have enough shelter beds available during harsh winters. — Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 23 July 2026 Secondary as primary strength The Rams upgraded their most obvious weakness by trading for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie and signing cornerback Jaylen Watson. — Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026 Robotics seems like an obvious choice; developmental biology does not. — ArsTechnica, 23 July 2026 He's most certainly grown up over the past year, that's obvious. — Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for obvious

Recent Examples of Synonyms for obvious

Adjective

Several police officers responded and found the suspect holding an apparent firearm.

— Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 25 July 2026
Elsewhere, manager David Moyes will have been satisfied that right-back Nathan Patterson, who has no apparent future at Everton, got enough minutes in Scotland’s three matches to provide a bargaining lever with any clubs interested in him.

— Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 24 July 2026

Definition of apparent

Adjective

The blatant ambition comes with its own drama; Holzinger’s work can feel rough around the edges, creating the sense that, at any level of a production, something might go very wrong.

— Lauren Oyler, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
The first four players who played a backwards pass were met with a blatant elbow into the back.

— Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 18 July 2026

Definition of blatant

Adjective

This model, where companies embed themselves in a city, is also evident in JPMorgan Chase's Detroit efforts, Tulsa's remote worker program, and Cleveland's Evergreen Cooperatives.

— Tonya M. Evans, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
The real reason is that his report is an unfocused jumble of personal testimony, with no evident attempt to corroborate the lurid and sometimes unbelievable accusations made by anonymous sources.

— Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 26 July 2026

Definition of evident

Adjective

Brayden Burries, Bucks While most of the vaunted crop of rookie guards from the NCAA ranks struggled, Burries was a glaring exception.

— John Hollinger, New York Times, 22 July 2026
While Loathe’s baffling compositional choices may jump out first, the album’s most glaring flaw is its production.

— Patrick Lyons, Pitchfork, 16 July 2026

Definition of glaring

Adjective

In Kurzweil’s version, the singularity involves an unmistakable break in which machine intelligence overtakes humanity and technological progress becomes impossible to predict.

— Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 27 July 2026
Brabus has spent almost five decades applying its unmistakable design language to some of the world’s most powerful machines.

— Rachel Ingram, Robb Report, 26 July 2026

Definition of unmistakable

Adjective

But this would really be for your own peace of mind and in the interests of keeping clear lines of communication open.

— R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 28 July 2026
That challenge becomes even clearer when lawmakers consider how dramatically HOAs vary across North Carolina.

— Nora O'Neill July 28, Charlotte Observer, 28 July 2026

Definition of clear

Adjective

There is also a fair amount of misinformation circulating on social media and plenty of unanswered questions about the process as a whole — and many don’t have straightforward answers.

— Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 July 2026
Harmony Taylor, a partner at Law Firm Carolinas and the former chair of the North Carolina Community Association Institute Legislative Action Committee, said many HOA proposals appear straightforward when they’re first introduced.

— Nora O'Neill July 28, Charlotte Observer, 28 July 2026

Definition of straightforward

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“Obvious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obvious. Accessed 29 Jul. 2026.

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